Emergency Contraception

Should I Worry About Taking Ella Because the FDA Deemed Esmya Unsafe?

By NWHN Staff | Aug 22, 2018 | Comments Off on Should I Worry About Taking Ella Because the FDA Deemed Esmya Unsafe?

The NWHN continues to endorse ella as an option for emergency contraception. However, we believe that the FDA made the right decision to say no to Esmya.

Emergency Contraception – Consumer Health Info

By NWHN Staff | Sep 27, 2017 | Comments Off on Emergency Contraception – Consumer Health Info

Emergency Contraception (EC) is a birth control method used after unprotected sex or when a primary form of contraception fails. It is generally used only in these specific situations and is not advised for use as regular contraception.

Should My Insurance Provider Cover My Emergency Contraception?

By Shaniqua Seth | Jan 23, 2017 | Comments Off on Should My Insurance Provider Cover My Emergency Contraception?

Insurance companies are not required to cover OTC contraceptives if your doctor does not prescribe them. As a result, if you buy Plan B without a prescription, you will have to pay full price.

Plan B & Weight: Is It Still Right for Me?!

By Shaniqua Seth | May 24, 2016 | Comments Off on Plan B & Weight: Is It Still Right for Me?!

The condom broke. Or you missed a pill. As you learn about your options. you come across information that states Plan B doesn’t work for people who weigh more than 165 pounds. That’s because in 2011,  some studies indicated that…

What Now? Understanding EC Efficacy and Body Weight

By NWHN Staff | Mar 14, 2016 | Comments Off on What Now? Understanding EC Efficacy and Body Weight

After years of hard-won fights, levonorgestrel Emergency Contraception (EC) is now available over-the-counter without age or point-of-sale restrictions. And, since 2010, another Emergency Contraceptive pill containing ulipristal acetate (sold as ella®) has been available by prescription in the U.S.

Politics & Women’s Health: Navigating the Year Ahead

By Cindy Pearson | Aug 3, 2015 | Comments Off on Politics & Women’s Health: Navigating the Year Ahead

I’ve been thinking a lot about weather lately — bad weather. A big storm can make getting around difficult, disrupt our plans, and delay our arrival at our intended destination. Doesn’t that sound like what we’ve experienced recently with the politics of women’s health?

As Long as it Takes

By Cindy Pearson | Jul 5, 2013 | Comments Off on As Long as it Takes

I’m writing this just a few hours after the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it will no longer fight the court order that required the Federal government to remove age limits for purchasing over-the-counter (OTC) Emergency Contraception (EC). While…

Springtime: Hope Helps, But It’s Not Enough

By Cindy Pearson | May 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Springtime: Hope Helps, But It’s Not Enough

“Hope springs eternal.” I always wondered exactly what was meant by that old saying. Does it mean that hope is like spring — it always comes back? Or, maybe it reflects the positive impact we feel when we see the promise of the natural world flourish anew in springtime.

Saying Thank You and Asking for More

By Cindy Pearson | Jan 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Saying Thank You and Asking for More

Shortly before the end of 2012, in one whirlwind 24-hour period, I got a chance to talk to both President Obama and to Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Both of these opportunities came during holiday parties: one at the White House and one in HHS’s D.C. headquarters.

Medicaid Coverage of Plan B Over the Counter: New York State’s Experience

By NWHN Staff | May 1, 2009 | Comments Off on Medicaid Coverage of Plan B Over the Counter: New York State’s Experience

Advocates fought for years to make emergency contraception available over-the-counter so that women could have convenient and timely access to this contraceptive option when they needed it. But removing the prescription requirement created a new barrier for some women.