Is It Necessary To See A Doctor For Birth Control?

birth control

When you normally want to get birth control, be it for whatever method- Loette contraceptive pills or an IUD, you usually go up to a doctor to answer a few questions about your health or medical history then leave with a prescription. However, a growing number of apps and websites are trying to change that situation by making it possible for women to get birth control prescriptions without actually having to go through the trouble of visiting a healthcare professional.

According to a leading newspaper, at least six more apps and websites from private organizations and NGOs give women prescriptions for birth control pills and other methods, which are written by doctors, after the women answer all their health questions online or by video calls.

Women can access patches, Nuvaring, pills, and emergency contraception like Plan B pills as well. While some prescriptions are mailed right at their address, others are sent to their local pharmacies for them to collect them without having to travel far.

Due to apps that can answer all your questions regarding birth control– their usage, tracking, health alerts, reviews, etc, a big question arises –

do you really need to visit a doctor for birth control?

According to medical experts, it depends. Some experts say that these apps are great for women, however, they cannot include all contraception options. For e.g., Intrauterine devices, i.e. IUDs, which are easy to use and have grown in popularity in recent years, need to be inserted by a healthcare professional, you can’t insert them on your own.

Family history, medical history, and patient’s lifestyle all are important for a physician to know. Experts say that a patient who cannot remember to take birth control each day, won’t have proper protection if given daily combined birth control pills.

A women’s health expert commented that she was wary of getting contraception without a doctor’s advice as like any other medication, contraception too, comes with some potential side – effects and health risks [ in which only certain contraception should be used or not all together].

Furthermore, lifestyle choices may also influence how a woman’s body reacts to contraception, for e.g. for a woman who smokes frequently, taking birth control can raise her risk of developing blood clots. Therefore, these effects may vary from woman to woman, so the prescription is not applicable to ‘one size for all.

Meanwhile, in countries like Mexico, Russia, and China contraception pills are available over the counter, as experts opine that they are considered generally safe.

Other than scary effects like blood clots, other less- worrisome symptoms like irregular bleeding, bloating, and headaches can be caused as well. That’s why it is important to meet a doctor before starting a prescription – to make sure you don’t have any health conditions or aren’t taking any medication that will interact badly with your choice of contraception.

Experts say it is safe, in certain situations only

A Gynecologist practicing in one of the most reputed healthcare centers in Massachusetts opines that she wouldn’t recommend something like these apps to anyone who is trying out contraception for the first time.

Yet, for women who have already used contraception and know what type of birth control they use, i.e. always use, these apps and websites are really beneficial. For e.g. if a woman takes Ovral L every month, she can just buy Ovral L online without the hassles of going to a doctor every time.