New York Times reported that there are at least six options at present for app-based birth control prescription or ordering, all working differently yet allows women to answer health questions via a form or video.
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Birth control pills from an app on your phone?
ABC News reports that the websites and apps do not require approval from lawmakers because clinicians are writing the prescriptions and they need to follow state laws for telemedicine.
Healthcare providers are obviously tuning into what Gen-Y needs in terms of accessibility to important health concerns, as well as trying out new ways to work around the political contention usually associated with women’s reproductive health matters. They can prescribe contraceptives such as birth control pills, patches, rings and morning-after pills. Some ship to your door, while others send it to your local pharmacy so that you can use whatever insurance you have.
Experts say that these new applications and websites can help spread the reach of birth control measures to more women as many are reluctant to visit a doctor due to insecurities or their young age. But considering these are the same people who oppose abortion, and birth control is the best means to reduce rates of abortion, it would be in their best interests to just get on board with this.
However, probably the biggest drive of them all – and a recurring theme in the piece – is young women wanting to avoid the shame that comes with asking their doctors about birth control. Experts think that ability to consult a physician and get birth control pills without the need to visit a doctor could significantly help teenagers, who are too scared or embarrassed to make gynecologist appointment on their own.
Apps have been making our lives easier from their inception, but they’re about to simplify things in a brand new way for our bodies.
Those who use the apps say taking time out for a doctor’s visit can be stressful and time consuming. “I thought it was just a setup to get money”. Still, almost anyone with a smartphone can access the services provided by these companies, saving many women a lot of time – and for some young ladies, the embarrassment of going into a doctor’s office. All these telemedicine resources provide patients with different health cares, ranging from birth control pills to allergies or urinary tract infections.
“We’ve seen a ridiculous amount of traffic that we’re struggling to handle”, Hans Gangeskar, cofounder of Nurx, a web-based app that offers prescriptions for contraceptives and ships to California and NY, told the Times.
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Dr. Bret Gordon, an OB-GYN with Saint Luke’s Hospital, said he understands the advantages, but contraception is not a one-size-fits-all issue.
