Is a Year's Supply of OC Pills Better Than a Month at a Time?

Rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion were lower in women who received 1-year supplies of oral contraceptives.

Dispensing more than 1 month of oral contraceptive (OC) packs at a time is associated with higher continuation rates, but does this strategy affect unintended pregnancy rates favorably? In an analysis of data from >84,000 women who received oral contraceptives through a Medicaid-funded family-planning program in California, investigators sought to define the relation between number of OC packs dispensed concurrently and risk for unintended pregnancy.

Likelihood of being offered 1-year OC supplies was greatest in women who were younger than 20, Asian, non-Latina white, or nulliparous. Analysis adjusted for factors such as age, race or ethnicity, and history of previous pill use showed that, compared with women who received 1 OC pack per clini…

Reviewing Author

Ann J. Davis, MD

Is a Year's Supply of OC Pills Better Than a Month at a Time?

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Reviewing Author