Study shows rising popularity of over-the-counter birth control pill

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Two years after U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, new research shows many people who face barriers to care are turning to it. File Photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI
Two years after U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, new research shows many people who face barriers to medical care are turning to it.
The study, published Monday in JAMA Network Open, included data from 986 people ages 15 to 45 across 44 states. All had obtained the pill -- known as Opill -- either online or from a pharmacy.
Researchers found many switched from less effective birth control methods or from using no contraception at all.
There was a 31.8% increase in use among people who had previously used no birth control, and a 41% increase among those who had relied on methods like condoms or emergency contraception.
Opill, made by drug company Perrigo, is a progestin-only pill that can be bought without a prescription. When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2023, it said the move could help lower barriers to access.
At that time, the FDA noted that nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended, CBS News reported.
"This is one of the first studies to show that over-the-counter birth control pills are reaching the very people they're meant to help -- those who face the greatest barriers to care," said lead study author Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
The study found that people using the OTC pill were more often uninsured, younger (15 to 20 years of age), and living in rural areas.
The top reason people gave for choosing the OTC pill was that it did not require a doctor's appointment. Others said they did not have a regular physician.
"At a time when pregnancy is becoming even more dangerous in the United States -- especially for people of color, those with low incomes and those living in rural communities -- our findings underscore that OTC contraception is a powerful tool for reproductive autonomy," Rodriguez said in a news release.
An outside expert who reviewed the findings agreed.
Dr. Jessica Shepherd is a board-certified OB/GYN and chief medical officer of the online health company Hers.
"While greater access to contraception without prescriptions can be life-changing for women with limited resources, it also highlights how deeply the repercussions of unplanned pregnancies still ripple through health care systems and communities," she told CBS News.
"Unplanned pregnancies often result in higher maternal and infant health risks, financial strain and long-term socioeconomic challenges-consequences that weigh most heavily on women who already face barriers to care," Shepherd added.
More information
Learn more about how Opill works.
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