Emergency Contraception 101 Emergency contraception can be vital to a woman’s health, especially the health of a female college student. Due to the high level of sexual activity and consequent risk that occurs during the college years, the availability of emergency contraception is crucial to maintaining women's health during this time of their lives. “The woman in the end is the one who bears the consequences of unprotected sex,” said Hillary Tholen, student. “A lot of guys sow the seed and split." Emergency contraception is a pill commonly known as the “Morning After Pill" that reduces the possibility of pregnancy and is approximately 95 percent effective. The shorter the amount of time that elapses between sexual activity and taking the pill, the more effective it is. Its greatest effectiveness is within the first 24 hours after intercourse but can be used within 120 hours (5 days). The pill is most frequently used after the failure of a primary contraceptive—like a broken condom or birth control failure, or because of unplanned or unwanted sexual activity in which lacked a primary contraceptive—like no condom or rape. The fact that EC is designed for emergencies is also important in that young women who take it do not rely on it as their sole contraceptive. “My preference would be that it wouldn’t have to come to that,” said T-Dog, an SSU employee. This echoes social concerns over the lack of responsible sexual activity by youth. “It’s a fallback for the unintended situation, it's not effective to be someone's first choice for contraception,” said Dr. Schwartz of the SSU Health Center. “People need to understand that it's only effective for that particular incident." Although EC is safe and legal, its availability ranges across the U.S. and is usually contingent on state’s and pharmacy’s religious/ethical beliefs. Over-the-counter EC, which would make it possible for women to obtain EC without a prescription from a doctor and would help the timely nature of the pill, has not yet been approved by the FDA. In May 2004, Barr Laboratories applied for over-the-counter (OTC) status for their emergency contraceptive Plan B, but were given a “not approvable” letter by the FDA even though the FDA’s own expert advisory panel voted 23-4 in favor of making Plan B over-the-counter. A decision on over-the-counter EC was finally set for late January 2005, but has been delayed indefinitely for unstated reasons. Some pharmacies however, like those in California, can override this by having pharmacy staff gain certification to provide EC to women without a prescription. But this certification is not state mandated, and it is purely the prerogative of each pharmacy to decide as to whether or not they would like to provide this service and get their staff certified. “I think it should be easier to access and cheaper,” said Tasha Thomas, student. After contacting many pharmacies in the Rohnert Park/Santa Rosa area, it became clear that access to EC and physicians' roles in local pharmacies are more politically than professionally charged. An anonymous female pharmacist from a Rite Aid in Santa Rosa stated that she “didn't think they carried it for ethical reasons and personally she wouldn't be interested in getting certified to prescribe it." Out of all the pharmacies in the area that were contacted, the most reliable and cheap was Planned Parenthood and the SSU Health Center. The cost of EC at other pharmacies was almost twice as much as the cost at Planned Parenthood and the Health Center including an extra fee just for a pharmacist to consult the patient on the medication. The cost of Plan B—the most common brand of EC—is $15 at the SSU Health Center with no charge for consultation by a practitioner. At Long’s Drugs in Rohnert Park, the pharmacy charges $25 for the pill including an extra $10 fee for a mandatory consultation by the pharmacist. The Health Center is also probably the most comfortable place—in conjunction with Planned Parenthood—for young adults to obtain EC considering their mission is to help students on campus and help with student related issues. "The most important thing is that they're comfortable to come in," said Dr. Georgia Schwartz of the SSU Health Center. If you would like further information on emergency contraception and over-the counter emergency contraception availability you can visit the following web sites. There is also a hotline specifically for emergency contraception, which can refer women to the closest pharmacy that provides EC and can be especially helpful for women during travel. Emergency Contraception Hotline Websites: Pharmacies in the area that carry EC SSU Health Center (707) 664-2921 Planned Parenthood Golden Gate - Rohnert Park Clinic(800) 967-7526 Long’s Drugs (707) 586-3494 Walgreen’s(707) 795-6014 Santa Rosa Costco Wholesale #41 (707) 578-1711 Southwest Community Health Center (707) 547-2222 Sutter Medical Center / Family Practice Center (707) 576-4100 County of Sonoma, Public Health Clinic (707) 565-4820 Women's Health Specialists (707) 537-1171 Petaluma The Medicine Shoppe |
