Birth control is as safe as ibuprofen. It shouldn't need a prescription.

Sarah Kliff · Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 1:38 pm

A handful of states are making it happen.

In the past two years, California and Oregon have become the first states in which women can get birth control without a doctor's visit.

Now, lawmakers in Missouri, Hawaii, Washington, South Carolina and Tennessee are considering similar bills that would allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control pills, patches, and rings — basically, all the forms of birth control that a pharmacy can sell.

This means women could go to the pharmacy, get a prescription, and fill that prescription all in one visit.

All scientific evidence available suggests this is a great idea. The United States has a much higher unintended pregnancy rate than most other developed countries, so anything that makes it easier to prevent pregnancy should be a welcome policy intervention. And birth control is an incredibly safe medication that women can take with few complications. Gynecologists have argued that it's actually safer than typical over-the-counter medications, like Advil or Tylenol.

"There is a risk of blood clots with OC use, but it is extremely low and significantly lower than the risk of blood clots during pregnancy and the postpartum period," the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists writes on the issue. "Aspirin and acetaminophen are both available OTC even though they have well-known health risks."

The only way these states could improve that would be by making birth control available over the counter, without a prescription from anyone. This would eliminate one more obstacle to obtaining contraceptives: Without a prescription, women could grab birth control pills off the shelf during hours when the pharmacy was closed. It would also eliminate any social stigma that comes along with talking to the pharmacist.

Read more
http://www.vox.com/2015/6/5/8737007/birth-control-over-the-counter