When a condom breaks or when someone skips a pill or forgets to change a patch, women can find themselves, quite literally, seeking "Plan B."
Emergency contraception, commonly though incorrectly referred to as the "morning-after pill," is an option for women who seek to prevent pregnancy after having unprotected sex. Plan B is the pill currently on the market in the United States.
The option has become more popular for students, said Christine Peterson, director of gynecology at Student Health.
Student Health has been prescribing emergency contraception since 1988 and every year the number of prescriptions has increased, Peterson said.
"I think more students are aware of it," she added.
According to Peterson, between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004, Student Health prescribed Plan B 412 times. The year before, during the same timeframe, there were only 315 prescriptions.
While this option is not to be used as one's first method of birth control, it can be a fall-back, Peterson said.
Plan B consists of two pills that are taken with food 12 hours apart. Plan B can be used within three days of having unprotected sex.
Women in need can obtain the drug at Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics as well as at a pharmacy. A prescription is required in most states including Virginia; however, several states allow pharmacies to distribute the drug without a prescription from a health care provider.
Emergency contraception costs $15 at the student pharmacy. Physicians can prescribe it for students "24-7, 365 days a year," Peterson said.
Students who already have an established record at Student Health can even get their prescription over the phone.
"Almost everybody who needs it is eligible," Peterson said.
The pills have become a hot political issue.
In April 2003, James Madison University banned the distribution of the pills at JMU-affiliated health centers. Student protests and petitions followed, and the James Madison Board of Visitors later reversed the ban.
The ban was in response to pressure by Del. Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, who has sponsored legislation to stop the distribution of the contraceptives on public Virginia university campuses.
The Senate Education and Health Committee subsequently defeated the legislation.
It is important to have emergency contraception at student health centers because access to the pills are critical in preventing unwanted pregnancies, said Jill Raney, president of All Women Attaining Knowledge and Enrichment.
The pills must be taken within 72 of unprotected sex and some women on campuses do not have access to other pharmacies, Raney said.
She added that college women are most at risk for unwanted pregnancy because of lack of knowledge about contraceptives.
Student Health makes an effort to follow up with its patients who seek emergency contraception.
"People who use emergency contraception are more likely to use ongoing birth control after that," Peterson said.
Peterson explained that Student Health will help students find the birth control method that is best suited for their individual needs.
"All other methods are more effective than emergency contraception, so we encourage students to choose a more effective method," Peterson said.
Emergency contraception is 75 to 89 percent effective at preventing pregnancies depending on individual circumstances, according to the Planned Parenthood Web site.
Read More
U.Va. students and physicians team up for another year of free kidney screenings
By Merrill Hart | November 5, 2024Saturday’s screening marked the first by KDSAP at Portico Church, near IX Art Park.
U.Va. Health sees a spike in COVID-19 cases
By Emily Horn | September 4, 2023U.Va. Health ended their vaccination requirements in August, and masks were made optional in most hospital areas in early April.
U.Va. Cancer Center harnesses $12 million grant to support opportunities for undergraduates, ongoing research and new center
By Ellen Wu | January 12, 2023The grant provides an opportunity to establish the Center for Systems Analysis of Stress-Adapted Cancer Organelles, which seeks to find the cause of cancer in individual organelles.
