Birth control barriers should not be the standard
Birth control coverage in the US is complicated everywhere, from major cities to rural towns. But it doesn’t have to be.
After graduating from college last spring, my birth control prescription ended abruptly. I waited months to get an appointment with a health care provider and, ultimately, had to use a paid telehealth service to continue taking my preferred method, all without being able to actually talk to a provider about whether or not it was the right method for me at that time. Although I had fights with my insurance carrier and had to wait months for an appointment with a health care provider, living in Washington, D.C., at least there were providers and fully-stocked pharmacies around.
Additionally, when I was living in Northern Ireland, it was even easier for me to access my birth control. Over-the-counter birth control was widely accessible. The process was straightforward, inexpensive, and without unnecessary questions or paperwork. Contrary to my experience there, until mid-2024, there was no way to get over-the-counter birth control in the US. It felt like my over-the-counter birth control was relegated to a fond study abroad memory.
Currently, 19 million women of reproductive age in the US live in contraceptive deserts, which means they lack access to the full range of contraceptive methods. And, 1.2 million of these women, most in rural areas, live in a county without a single health center that provides the full range of methods. Over-the-counter birth control methods such as Opill can bridge these huge gaps in coverage.
In 2023, the FDA greenlit Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill approved for sale in the US. By the spring of 2024, they were on the shelves of major chain pharmacies and drug stores, including CVS and Walmart. Over a year later, the data speaks volumes: 26% of new Opill users were using no other form of birth control beforehand. For people living in rural areas, where the few existing health centers are underfunded and often understaffed, Opill can be the tool they need to ensure they have bodily autonomy in their present, and achieve their reproductive goals in the future.
Access to reliable sexual and reproductive health care resources is urgent, and for many, geographic distance and wait times are key barriers to birth control. Over-the-counter birth control methods are one of many that should be readily accessible for all patients, along with the education necessary to make an informed decision on the method that best suits their lifestyle and health. So what’s left to do?
For starters, we need to get the word out about Opill. Awareness of this new accessible method is relatively low among women of reproductive age (I certainly would have appreciated knowing about it earlier). Helping the 19 million women in those contraceptive deserts secure their autonomy starts with letting them know what options are available to them.
But while we’re particularly grateful for Opill this Thanks, Birth Control Day, we can’t ignore the reality of our situation—birth control access, like all forms of reproductive care, is under attack for those most vulnerable. The Title X Family Planning Program has been flat-funded for over a decade (and that was not enough money ten years ago, either!) For so many, Title X-funded clinics are not just a trusted resource for affordable or free sexual and reproductive care, these clinics are their only source of health care.
So, today we urge representatives in Congress to understand that if the US wants to be viewed as a leader, it must prioritize the reproductive autonomy of everyone who lives in this country, regardless of their financial situation, location, or immigration status. Contraceptive deserts, long appointment wait times, and underfunding of rural health centers cannot continue to be the norm when what they are is an embarrassment.
This Thanks, Birth Control Day, tell a friend or a colleague about OPill, and tell your representatives to prioritize reproductive well-being for us all.
