First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill to Hit Stores This Month

Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill, will be available for $19.99 a month at certain retailers

• Opill, the first daily birth control available without a prescription, will begin to hit retailers this month

• The pill will retail for $19.99 for a one-month supply, or $49.99 for a three-month supply

• Opill will also be available to order online

A daily birth control pill will be available without a prescription for the very first time, starting this month.

Opill, a daily contraceptive pill from the manufacturer Perrigo, will start arriving in stores this month, and retail for $19.99 for a one-month supply, or $49.99 for a three-month supply, according to CNN.

Opill is a “progestin-only birth control pill” — which is sometimes called a “minipill,” according to the company's website.

As the Mayo Clinic explains, a minipill “thickens cervical mucus and thins the lining of the uterus. These prevent sperm from reaching the egg and a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb.”

Combination pills that contain progestin and estrogen work by preventing someone from ovulating, the Mayo Clinic explains. However, with the mini-pill, about half the people taking it still ovulate.

Perrigo, a Dublin-based pharmaceutical company, was first granted approval by the FDA last July, per a press release from the administration.

“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a release at the time of the pill's approval.

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“When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available non-prescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy.”

"Today marks a truly momentous day for women's health nationwide," Patrick Lockwood-Taylor, Perrigo President and Chief Executive Officer, had said in a statement. "Opill has the potential to radically transform women's access to contraception and is a true testament of Perrigo's unwavering commitment to deliver impactful solutions that truly make lives better."

Opill is a daily contraceptive — and not an emergency contraceptive, commonly known by the brand name Plan B.

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While Plan B is an oral pill that can be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy, Opill must be taken every day at the same time to prevent pregnancy. According to the product information, it takes two days to start becoming effective.

According to the CDC, “75% of pregnancies were unintended among teens aged 15 to 19 years.”

Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, and other major retailers will carry the product, the Opill website further notes.

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