As a Pharmacist, I am concerned that women who use this methodology very frequently – more than once-twice a month. While it sounds rather simplistic of preventing ovulation and/or preventing a fertilized egg ( Zygote ) from attaching to the uterus. These meds, disrupts a woman natural hormonal cycles. The same as a higher and higher of percentage of abortion being done with oral tablets. I suspect that the pharmas have not done any clinical studies about either one of these meds being used more like a form of contraception.
The first “birth control pill” (BC pills) was approved by the FDA in 1960, and while not many wanted to talk about it, women who were not consistent on taking there daily tablet or stopped taking their BC pills to get pregnant …. there was a increase in birth defects and/or miscarriages. It soon became “good sense” for anyone wanting to start a family to stay off using BC pills for 2-3 months before trying to start a family.
That is what Barb and I did, I graduated in May 1970, and I got my first Pharmacist License in KY in July – about 6 weeks after graduation… No sense trying to start a family, if for some odd reason… I did not pass the pharmacy board licensing test and did not have a “good paycheck” coming in. The following August our HEALTHY LITTLE GIRL was born, which for various reason, ended up being our only child. Using “alternative contraception” for 2-3 months to increase the odds of having a healthy baby, was the least we could for our first child.
It may be years before there is some evidence of adverse outcomes for women who chose to use these medications in frequencies they were not intended – as opposed to using some BC pills that are designed to be using monthly and for long period of times.
CVS, Walmart and Rite Aid Limit Purchases of Plan B Pills After Surge in Demand
Retailers’ websites show the emergency contraceptive in short supply after Supreme Court’s abortion decision
Some of the nation’s biggest retailers are rationing over-the-counter emergency contraceptive pills as demand spikes following the Supreme Court ruling overturning a constitutional right to abortion.
CVS Health Corp., CVS -1.42%▼ Walmart Inc. WMT -1.41%▼ and Rite Aid Corp. RAD -5.15%▼ were limiting purchases of the pills, which were in short supply or out of stock on major retailer websites. CVS and Rite Aid were limiting purchases to three, while Walmart was limiting orders to 10.
A CVS spokesman said that the company has implemented temporary purchase limits to ensure equitable access and that it has ample supply of the pills in stores and online. A Walmart spokeswoman said the company limits purchases on many items and that limits can change as demand fluctuates. Rite Aid said it was limiting purchases of the pills both online and in stores due to increased demand.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., WBA -2.92%▼ which also had a purchase limit on its website, said that the restriction was an error and that it would soon be corrected. A spokesman said the company is investigating the situation.
Plan B pills are different from medication abortion, also known as plan C, which requires a prescription and involves the administration of different pills to terminate a pregnancy. In the U.S., medication abortion has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Two medications—mifepristone and misoprostol—are typically used in a
Several companies make versions of Plan B that range in cost from $10 to more than $50. On Monday, the cheapest option available from major retailers’ websites was a pill for $35. There are three types of emergency contraceptive pills: progestin-only pills like levonorgestrel (sold under the brand name Plan B, among others), ulipristal (brand name Ella) and combined emergency contraception pills that consist of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel. The latter two types require prescriptions.
Plan B One-Step, the top-selling emergency contraceptive, is owned by a pair of private-equity firms, Kelso & Co. and Juggernaut Capital Partners. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. sold the brand in 2017 to the investors as part of a move to shed its women’s health business. Representatives from the firms didn’t respond to requests for comment.
In the days following Friday’s court decision, social media filled with comments either encouraging or dissuading people to stock up on the contraceptive. Some users posted that they were buying as many as possible; others argued against stockpiling for fear it would cut off access to people with an immediate need.
Planned Parenthood on Monday advised against stockpiling emergency contraceptives as they have limited shelf life and because hoarding supplies could limit access for women who have an immediate need.
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