Contraceptive Technology Update – May 1, 2024

Opill Rollout Includes Major Pharmacies and Retailers — but Price Tag Needs Work

The rollout of the nation’s first over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill, is a major step toward improving contraception access across the United States. But some obstacles remain, including cost and access for minors in places hostile to reproductive autonomy.

Telehealth Medication Abortion Remains Under Threat Even as Access Expands

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide the fate of the abortion medication mifepristone — a decision that could undermine access to the medication at a time when major pharmacies and retailers have begun to offer the pill. Abortion rights advocates, reproductive health clinicians, and others are bracing for a decision that could upend access to safe, legal self-managed abortions for most or all women in the nation.

OB/GYNs Experiencing High Levels of Moral Distress

An OB/GYN was asked by researchers how it felt to work in an abortion-ban state after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — the physician’s response was shocking. The OB/GYN said working in a war zone with actual risk to one’s life was not as distressing as working with patients in an abortion-ban state where the physician continually feared arrest or patient death.

Medication Abortion Through Telehealth Is Safe, Effective, and Convenient

Researchers began studying the safety and effectiveness of telehealth medication abortions in 2021 and concluded in 2022 before the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The recently published results showed that telehealth medication abortions are safe, with outcomes of 99.8% without serious adverse events.

Adolescents Know More About Abortion Restrictions than Most Expect

Adolescents are fully aware and concerned about how abortion restrictions can affect them, and most use the internet and social media for information on abortion, new research shows.

Prenatal Patient-Centered Contraceptive Counseling Is Important

New research suggests that pregnant patients who are interested in permanent contraception are offered information and counseling on this option late in their pregnancy, making it less likely they will access that option.