Women rush to get long lasting birth control .fearing it soon won't be available
Organizations that provide information about birth control say they’ve experienced a major surge in online traffic. Contreras says Planned Parenthood experienced a 2,205% increase in traffic to its page about sterilization on June 24, the day of the Dobbs decision, and a 400% increase in traffic from that day through July 14. Power to Decide, a campaign to reduce unplanned pregnancy, said that since June 24, its Bedsider website reported a 288% surge to its page about emergency contraception, a 171% surge to its page about sterilization, and a 100% surge for information about the birth control patch in states where abortion was banned after the decision.
Residents of many states may be concerned for good reason. In Missouri, for instance, lawmakers have already shown willingness to limit contraception; in 2021, state senators voted to prevent Medicaid from paying for popular contraception methods, including IUDs (although that version of the bill was ultimately not passed). “Folks, I think, are appropriately assessing this moment as a crisis in sexual reproductive health care, and they are looking to protect themselves in any way that they possibly can,” says Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri.
McNicholas and Molly Kunzler, a nurse practitioner who works for Planned Parenthood in Gladstone, Missouri, say they have seen a large increase in demand for long-acting birth control methods. Kunzler adds that more patients than usual have also asked to replace IUDs early or requested the longest-lasting contraceptives—including the Paragard, an IUD that can last for more than a decade, which she says have typically been less popular because they can be more uncomfortable, at least initially. “They are concerned that they’re going to lose access to birth control in general,” says Kunzler. “[Patients] tell us on a daily basis that they’re worried if they don’t get it now or get it soon, they won’t have access to it later.”
McNicholas says that she’s observed an increase in demand not only for birth control, but also for sterilization—surgical procedures that permanently prevent pregnancy in both women and men. Some patients have told her that “they’ve been certain about this decision for some time, but now are feeling particularly motivated to get it done quickly,” she says. Meanwhile, in Arizona—where Planned Parenthood has ceased providing abortions amid uncertainty about their legality—Dr. Jill Gibson, medical director at Planned Parenthood Arizona, says the local call center has had a surge of calls about sterilization, including among younger people.
It’s not just her patients who are nervous, says Gibson. At the two facilities where she works, she’s provided four IUDs for staff members over the last few weeks. “Even within our staff, we’re seeing a real sense of urgency to secure effective contraception while we still can.”
https://time.com/6200542/women-birth-control-switching-methods-abortion/
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