N.C. expands access to contraceptive services at pharmacies

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says residents statewide will soon have greater access to contraceptive services at pharmacies without a prescription from another medical provider. That access includes counseling regarding contraception options, the prescribing of contraceptive pills and patches, and referrals to ongoing care.

This new protocol of allowing pharmacists to provide care is intended to fill coverage gaps, especially in rural areas that are considered maternal health deserts.

Professor Mollie Scott is the regional associate dean for the University of North Carolina's Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She notes that nearly half the patients consulting pharmacists don’t have a primary care physician.

"And so one of the ways that we can impact that is by working upstream and making sure that women have options for their reproductive health, and that they can have more autonomy and planning when and if they want to have children," says Scott. 

Officials say that more than half of all pregnancies in North Carolina are unintentional and can lead to poor outcomes for mothers and infants.