Birth control pills have been safely used in the US (and sold only by prescription) for more than half a century. In 2023 the FDA approved Opill, the first daily contraceptive pill intended for sale over the counter with no prescription needed. This offers many more people access to a new nonprescription option for preventing pregnancy.
Opill is available online and soon to be stocked on drugstore shelves. Here’s what anyone interested — adults, parents, and teens — should know.
What is in Opill and how does it work?
Opill is a progestin-only form of birth control. That means it uses a single hormone called progestin (or norgestrel) to prevent pregnancy. It works by
- affecting ovulation so that the ovaries do not release an egg every month
- thickening cervical mucus, which blocks sperm from reaching an egg
- changing the uterine lining in ways that keep a fertilized egg from implanting.
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