Answers to Your Roe-Related Questions

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade  the Nurx medical team has been (very) busy. With abortion outlawed or highly restricted in many states, people are understandably very eager to have a reliable birth control method and get their hands on emergency contraception as a back-up.  We want to share with the Nurx community how our team is helping people take control of their reproductive health in this new landscape, and provide answers to some of the questions we’ve heard from our patients.

Making emergency contraception affordable

Immediately when Roe was reversed Nurx lowered the price of New Day (generic Plan B) to $14.99, which is among the lowest prices in the market, to make this important contraception option more accessible. 

Offering free Plan B to those in need

Nurx will donate 500 doses of generic Plan B each month to people living in impacted states who cannot afford or access emergency contraception. This free morning-after pill is intended for people to have on hand in case of emergency — we cannot express ship it once unprotected sex has occurred. If you are unable to get emergency contraception and need a free morning-after pill, let us know here.

Meeting unprecedented demand for contraception

Nurx has experienced a surge in demand for birth control and emergency contraception (and media including  USA Today and CNN have turned to Nurx for insights). The big demand for contraception comes primarily from states where abortion is now illegal or may be soon. Our medical team has been working around the clock to conduct online health assessments and prescribe birth control, and our pharmacy team has been filling those prescriptions and sending them to your doorsteps — all while being careful to maintain the high-quality, personal care that Nurx is known for.  

Educating about emergency contraception

Because so many people are stocking up on emergency contraception, our medical team wants to be certain that everyone understands how to use it correctly and safely. They created this emergency contraception flowchart that you can download, save, and share, as well as this video, explaining when to take emergency contraception, with Spanish subtitles.

5 Contraception Questions We’ve Been Hearing

We’ve also been fielding a lot of questions from members of the Nurx community about what a post-Roe world means for them. While we don’t have a crystal ball (wish we did!), we’re answering those questions to the extent we can and share those answers here.

Is it still legal to get birth control through Nurx? 

We understand your concerns that the reversal of abortion rights could lead to limitations on your ability to access contraception. We can reassure you that Nurx can still legally prescribe and deliver birth control and emergency contraception, and we do not anticipate any immediate legal changes that would limit this access.

Is emergency contraception an abortion pill?

No. Emergency contraception works by stopping or delaying ovulation (the release of an egg) and cannot end an established pregnancy, unlike the abortion pill (which is usually two pills).  We know that there are also social media rumors swirling that taking a large dose of regular birth control can end a pregnancy, but that is not true. 

Should I stock up on emergency contraception? 

We know there are rumors that certain states may attempt to ban emergency contraception but since it is, again, not an abortion pill we certainly hope that those rumors remain just that.

So while you shouldn’t hoard emergency contraception, we do generally recommend that patients have emergency contraception on hand if they think they might ever need it, because it is most likely to work when taken soon after unprotected sex. When you request Ella through Nurx you have the option of getting two pills (usually covered by insurance), and when purchasing New Day (generic Plan B) on our website you can order up to 5 pills at a time.

Should I be worried that my health information won’t be kept private if I get birth control through an app?

As a Nurx patient your health information is protected by law under HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) just as it would be if you were prescribed birth control in an in-person doctor’s office and picked it up from an in-person pharmacy. 

Where should I turn for reliable information on state laws?

Two great resources you can turn to for up-to-date information on the laws where you live are Power to Decide and the Guttmacher Institute. At a time when you may feel powerless, you can take back your power by staying informed about your legal and healthcare options.

We want you to know that the Nurx medical team is here for you, happy to answer our patients’ questions at any time.  Over the past few weeks our response times have been a bit longer than we would like, but we are working hard to meet the demand for contraception and to answer our community’s questions.

This blog pro­vides infor­ma­tion about telemed­i­cine, health and related sub­jects. The blog content and any linked materials herein are not intended to be, and should not be con­strued as a substitute for, med­ical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any reader or per­son with a med­ical con­cern should con­sult with an appropriately-licensed physi­cian or other healthcare provider. This blog is provided purely for informational purposes. The views expressed herein are not sponsored by and do not represent the opinions of Nurx™.