Meanwhile, some contraceptive products have become more accessible by buying online and Opill on the counter (including last year) to become the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States. New methods of birth control are also available, including long-acting implants, plaques and hormone-free vaginal gel PHEXXI.
According to a poll conducted by the health policy research organization KFF, the fact that emergency contraception is not prescribed is a fact that many women do not know. In fact, among the women living in abortion, those who prohibit abortion either incorrectly believe that emergency contraceptives are illegal in their state or say they are unsure.
Nevertheless, young women are more likely to report that they have used emergency contraception: 44% of 15 to 24% and 40% of women aged 25 to 34 years of age online data suggest that women searching for emergency contraception often undergo emergency contraception at night.
"And it's open 7-11," she said.
Megan Kavanaugh, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a research group at the reproductive health research group, said 99% of women of childbearing age in the United States use some form of contraception, including natural family planning, “in a lifetime,” a trend that is in all demographics, including religious beliefs. Less than 1% of women use fertility-based approaches.
The use of emergency contraception has also increased in recent decades. KFF researchers found that one-third of women aged 15 to 49 who have sex with men in the United States have used it.
“People use EC for many reasons,” Kavanaugh said. “The condom fails, they don’t use birth control, or they may need to use it after sexual assault.”
But for some women, the cost can be a barrier, she said, noting that over-the-counter products such as Plan B Step B (another emergency contraceptive) could cost more than $50. "It's a high price," she said.
Kavanaugh said condoms are cheap, but are not usually in women's sex. "It's part of the misogyny we live in, and we're at different prices," she said.
The one-time dose of emergency contraception is about $25. A study of consumer behavior conducted by manufacturer Cadence found that women question the quality and efficacy of birth control products that cost less than $15, but products that cost more than $30 are very expensive.
Polls show that most Americans support contraception and oppose efforts to limit their entry.
Still, getting help in preventing pregnancy can often be a challenge, says Amanda Bryson, PhD, a pediatric and adolescence medicine specialist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.
Bryson, who provides care for teens and young people and is not affiliated with the rhythm, said these barriers can include the need for confidentiality, as well as the lack of transportation, financial means or health insurance. Even if emergency contraceptives are available without prescription or age requirements, pharmacists often store products behind lockboxes or counters, requiring teenagers and young people to look for store clerks.
In convenience stores, these pills usually have reserves next to the condom, rather than the condom behind the counter.
Finding emergency contraception in rural areas is also difficult, especially in towns without pharmacies or pharmacies.
Bryson recalls a patient who called at night seeking emergency contraception. After consulting for insured patients, Bryson called the local pharmacy to prescribe, but there was no stock. However, the over-the-counter medications at another pharmacy are $50. The patient bought medicine there.
"It shouldn't be hard," Bryson said. "The young man has information about EC, she has a doctor who can consult her, she knows she can contact me after get off work, she has insurance, she can drive, and that's still a huge obstacle."
"In a similar situation to this, it may indeed make sense to add a lower cost pill in time," she added.
“Take care for your own sexual health should not be stigmatized,” Bryson said, adding that on convenience store shelves, the “availability and visibility” of birth control measures for women can help combat stigma.
Cadence officials said they wanted to expand the market on university campuses and could even expand to vending machines, noting that it was a "very profitable product."
Although Plan B is a well-known brand of emergency contraception, it is not available in convenience stores, the drug is distributed at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and other retailers and can be provided by Ubereats, Doordash and Instacart.
Voyten said that while retailers in certain sectors “have objections to introducing products,” these concerns are often replaced by demand.
"Some people say, 'I don't believe this,'" she said. "'But I know my customers need it.'"