Louisiana Women Will Be Able to Buy Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pills

Starting this month, over-the-counter birth control pills will be available for purchase in some stores and online for ladies who are interested according to an article in The Hill.

Last year, the Food and Drug Administration announced they had approved the once-daily progestin-only form of birth control for sales nationwide straight to the public.

For the product, Opill, you will not need a prescription, you can simply order it online or buy it in pharmacies that will have it for sale.

How Effective is Opill?

Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research says,

When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available nonprescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration say, that when used correctly, this form of birth control is 98% effective.

What Is Progestin?

Progestin, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is "a form of progesterone, the hormone that plays a role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

One of the biggest things stressed about the product is to make sure that you take the medicine each day to maximize the effectiveness of the pill.

According to the ACOG,

With perfect use—meaning people never forget to take a pill and always take them at the same time every day—fewer than 1 in 100 women get pregnant during the first year of using progestin-only pills. Taking a pill at the same time each day is important for this method to be effective.

 

What Will Opill Cost Me?

According to The Hill, in most cases, it will cost around $19.99 for a monthly supply of Opill, but you can get a better deal if you buy a 3-month supply and so on.

Remember, each retail will be different so make sure you are using a legitimate pharmacy online and you can check out costs at various pharmacies in your community.

For more information on the product and the cost, you can check out the website.

The first availability for Opill will be at CVS.com and the app later this month. Then, Opill will start being placed on shelves at CVS in April.