This spring, the American pharmaceutical industry reached a pretty revolutionary milestone with the release of Opill, the first birth control pill that doesn’t require a prescription. Single-dose emergency contraception like Plan B has long been the most immediately available option, and while it’s still ripe territory for renovation, those looking for a more consistent way to avoid pregnancy have generally had to get a doctor’s permission. Opill takes a step towards a world where uterus owners have more control over their sexual wellness through its over-the-counter take on the pill, a simplified formula that focuses on the pregnancy-mimicking hormone progestin.
Opill’s availability is the most immediately revolutionary thing about it, but for those with an awareness of how birth control works, there are deeper layers to this new option’s achievement. Daily pills are usually a combination of progestin and estrogen, the sex hormone most immediately credited for characteristics like breasts and a shapely figure. Estrogen is part of why birth control generally requires a prescription, as the experience of taking it can be loaded with unpleasant side effects, and the pill isn’t an ideal option for those with medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
