Over-the-counter Oral Birth Control Pill Improves Access To Contraception

Two years ago, nan Food and Drug Administration approved nan waste of an over-the-counter commencement power pill for nan first clip successful nan United States without a prescription.

A nationwide study published coming reveals nan determination has dramatically improved entree to contraception, particularly among women who different would person had nary commencement power astatine all, either because they deficiency security aliases regular entree to wellness care. The study was conducted by researchers astatine Oregon Health & Science University.

Published successful nan diary JAMA Network Open, nan study surveyed 986 group successful 44 states who obtained nan OTC pill either online aliases astatine a drugstore and compared outcomes pinch group utilizing nan pill by prescription.

The investigation squad recovered a 31.8 percent constituent summation successful group who shifted to nan pill aft utilizing nary contraceptive method.

The mostly of OTC pill users were not utilizing a method of contraception, aliases a overmuch little effective method, and reported it was highly important to them to debar pregnancy.

This is 1 of nan first studies to show that over-the-counter commencement power pills are reaching nan very group they're meant to thief - those who look nan top barriers to care."

Maria Rodriguez, M.D., M.P.H., lead author, professor of obstetrics and gynecology successful nan OHSU School of Medicine and head of nan OHSU Center for Women's Health

Among nan group accessing nan oral contraceptive pill complete nan counter, researchers recovered higher rates of usage among group and taste number groups, adolescents, nan uninsured and Medicaid recipients.

"At a clip erstwhile gestation is becoming moreover much vulnerable successful nan United States - particularly for group of color, those pinch debased incomes, and those surviving successful agrarian communities - our findings underscore that OTC contraception is simply a powerful instrumentality for reproductive autonomy," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez noted that nan U.S. Supreme Court's determination successful 2022 to overturn law protection for entree to abortion has decreased entree to abortion and contraception, particularly for populations astatine nan highest consequence for maternal morbidity and mortality. This study suggests that nan OTC commencement power pill is helping to reside nan spread successful contraceptive entree for nan populations pinch nan top barriers to care.

The study notes that it costs astir $50 for a three-month proviso of nan regular oral medication.

"These findings propose that removing medicine requirements for [the oral contraceptive pill] tin grow contraceptive access, peculiarly for underserved populations, specified arsenic nan uninsured and those successful agrarian areas," nan authors conclude. "As reproductive wellness attraction entree faces increasing threats, [over nan counter] contraception offers a promising strategy to support reproductive autonomy and trim disparities successful contraceptive use."

In summation to Rodriguez, co-authors see Haley Burns, M.P.H., Reed Sheridan, B.S., and Alison Edelman, M.D., M.P.H., each of Oregon Health & Science University.