GREENSBORO, N.C. — The leaked draft showing the Supreme Court could be on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade has prompted a big discussion not only about abortion but also about women's healthcare and birth control options.
In North Carolina, a new law makes getting birth control more accessible. The law allows women 18 and older to get birth control from a pharmacy without ever stepping foot into a doctor's office.
The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy released new guidelines for this. The board told WFMY News 2 that pharmacists wanting to provide birth control, pill or patch, must first complete a training program. Patients must also fill out an assessment for the pharmacist to review.
While this is expanding access, health care professionals want people to be educated before making a decision. Dr. Joseph Stringfellow is an OBGYN with Novant Health. Stringfellow said birth control is a safe way to prevent unplanned pregnancy, but it's also used for treating period symptoms as well as decreasing the risk of ovarian cancer, and managing things like migraines. He wants people to know while it's safe, not every contraceptive method is safe for every person.
"There are certain types of hormones that can increase the risk of complication of certain other conditions," Stringfellow said.
Dr. Lauren Peruski, the stroke medical director at Novant Forsyth Medical Center, said she agrees. She said one example is women with a history of migraines that also impact vision should not be on birth control containing estrogen because they're more likely to have blood clotting, which can lead to stroke.
"Any woman that's going to be on an estrogen-containing medication especially if you smoke or have (a) history of migraines, those are really important things to bring up to your doctors and to be honest about," Peruski said.
Stringfellow said being honest is key. He said any patient wanting to get on birth control, whether it be talking with their OBGYN or pharmacist, there needs to be open communication throughout the entire process to make sure they're put on the best medication for their body.
"The goal is to find the method that fits the patient's values, their plans, and intentions for building their family and their medical history," Stringfellow said. "So, what works for one person may not work very well for the next. So, it is very important to start that conversation and that dialogue and that's what we're here to do."
Again, the best way is to talk to a professional before trying any new medication.