Many people using OTC birth control pills previously used nothing, study finds

U.S. commencement complaint is dropping, CDC reports

U.S. commencement complaint is dropping, CDC reports 03:05

Two years aft the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the archetypal over-the-counter commencement power pill, caller probe is looking astatine who's switching to it and why.

In the study, published Monday successful JAMA Network Open, researchers utilized survey information from 986 people, ages 15 to 45,  successful 44 states who obtained the over-the-counter pill either online oregon astatine a pharmacy. They recovered that a important information of users shifted to the over-the-counter pill from a less-effective method of commencement power oregon from utilizing nary contraception astatine all.

Of those surveyed, they recovered a 31.8 percent constituent summation successful usage by radical who antecedently utilized nary contraceptive method. A 41 percent constituent summation was seen successful those who switched from a less-effective method, similar condoms oregon exigency contraception.

Opill, the over-the-counter, progestin-only pill from drugmaker Perrigo, provides an enactment for obtaining oral contraceptives without needing to archetypal spot a wellness attraction provider. Allowing radical to entree the pill without a medicine was done successful hopes of reducing barriers to access, according to the FDA's quality merchandise astatine the clip of approval, which noted that astir fractional of the 6.1 cardinal pregnancies successful the U.S. each twelvemonth are unintended.

The caller probe "is 1 of the archetypal studies to amusement that over-the-counter commencement power pills are reaching the precise radical they're meant to assistance — those who look the top barriers to care," pb writer Dr. Maria Rodriguez, prof of obstetrics and gynecology successful the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, said successful a quality release. 

Those accessing the over-the-counter pill were much apt than medicine users to beryllium uninsured, younger (ages 15-20) and surviving successful agrarian areas, according to the study. 

The astir communal crushed radical gave successful the survey for choosing the OTC pill was that it didn't necessitate an appointment, followed by those who said they didn't person a regular physician.

"At a clip erstwhile gestation is becoming adjacent more dangerous successful the United States — particularly for radical of color, those with debased incomes, and those surviving successful agrarian communities — our findings underscore that OTC contraception is simply a almighty instrumentality for reproductive autonomy," Rodriguez said.

• Birth Control