Over-the-counter oral contraception in the United States: An important opportunity at a time of increased concern about contraceptive access

Abstract

Access to the full range of contraceptive methods is a foundational component of reproductive well-being [1], and we are at a pivotal moment for contraceptive access in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering the first-ever application for an over-the-counter (OTC) progestin-only oral contraceptive pill—a culmination of more than two decades of science and advocacy that would put the U.S. on par with many other countries where oral contraception has long been available OTC [2].