In the United States, nearly 20 million women face challenges in accessing contraception, often called “contraceptive deserts.” However, experts advocate for increased accessibility to hormonal birth control options. A recent study has revealed that web and app-based platforms offering prescription services for birth control are generally safe.
Obtaining birth control can be a complex process for many women. Factors such as time constraints, financial limitations, and insufficient insurance coverage can hinder their ability to obtain a prescription for hormonal birth control. Moreover, approximately 19.5 million women reside in contraceptive deserts, regions with limited or no access to healthcare facilities providing contraception services.
Fortunately, there is growing support for enhancing birth control accessibility. Recent research by Harvard Medical School and UC Davis indicates that digital-based services providing prescription oral birth control are dependable and secure. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this study highlights the safety and viability of digital healthcare for accessing birth control.
This development coincides with medical experts advocating for increased hormonal birth control options availability. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently recommended making all forms of hormonal birth control, including birth control pills, contraceptive patches, vaginal rings, and the Depo-Provera injection, available over the counter (OTC) without age restrictions.
Making birth control available over the counter and raising awareness about online vendors could facilitate safe and efficient access to contraception for more women. Dr. Nancy Stanwood, an OB-GYN and the section chief of Yale Medicine Family Planning emphasized the importance of innovative solutions that enable patients to access contraception safely, ultimately benefiting patients’ well-being.
Online Providers: A Safe and Reliable Option
To assess the safety and dependability of online birth control services, a study enlisted seven patients to procure birth control pills via online platforms.
Some of these patients were taking other medications or had underlying health conditions that might have made them ineligible for specific contraceptive methods.
Each participant submitted requests for birth control to nine different online vendors, resulting in 63 online requests for oral contraceptives.
The research discovered that online vendors adhered to safety protocols outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — aimed at preventing the issuance of birth control to women with certain medical conditions — in 93 percent of cases.
While the analysis underscores online providers’ overall safety and effectiveness, the researchers identified a few areas for potential improvement.
In three out of 45 instances, birth control was dispensed to women with health contraindications, which should not have occurred.
According to the researchers, this may have arisen because these women had rare conditions not specifically addressed in the guidelines. It’s worth noting that such contraindications can also go unnoticed during in-office visits with healthcare providers, occurring approximately 14 percent of the time, as Dr. Stanwood pointed out.
Furthermore, some online providers failed to counsel women about alternative contraceptive options that may necessitate an in-office consultation.
For instance, individuals who struggle with daily pill adherence could benefit from information about other effective methods, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) or birth control arm implants, as Dr. Stanwood explained.
Enhancing Access through Online Solutions
Dr. Jennifer Kerns, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California San Francisco, points to a significant body of evidence highlighting the numerous obstacles that hinder individuals from accessing birth control.
Some people face challenges like taking time off work or lack transportation to reach a clinic. Additionally, the stigma associated with birth control may deter some from seeking it.
Web- and app-based prescription services have the potential to dismantle these barriers and facilitate women in obtaining the necessary medications. Instead of embarking on lengthy journeys to visit a clinic, telecontraception offers a more convenient approach. It involves completing an online questionnaire and receiving a birth control prescription via mail or a local pharmacy.
Dr. Kerns emphasizes that online options and telemedicine streamline the process of obtaining birth control pills, reducing the obstacles to contraception access and enabling more individuals to use the contraception method of their choice.
In Summary,
Recent research conducted by Harvard Medical School and UC-Davis underscores the overall safety and dependability of web-based and digital-app platforms that provide prescription oral birth control.
Furthermore, the ACOG has made a significant recommendation, suggesting that hormonal birth control should be accessible over the counter.
Enabling over-the-counter contraception and endorsing digitally prescribed birth control services has the potential to greatly enhance access and dismantle the numerous obstacles that currently impede millions of women from obtaining the medication they require.