Morning-After Pill More Readily Available

The Journal of American College Health surveyed health center officials at 358 institutions in the United States and Guam.

University health providers were asked about the availability of ECPs, benefits and barriers of the contraceptive and publicity and promotion of the pills.

The study found that many factors influenced whether the pills were available -- including lack of staff, administration objections, legal concerns, religious issues and the desire not to undermine students' use of traditional contraception.

Emergency contraceptives are more commonly known as "morning-after pills" because they are taken the morning after, or within 72 hours of, unprotected sex.

Plan B, a commonly used ECP, prevents pregnancy by using the emission of certain hormones to temporarily stop the release of an egg from a woman's ovary, thereby preventing fertilization.

Though the survey results showed that institutions in the Northeast were more likely to offer ECPs than schools in the Midwest or South, officials at student health centers at UNC, Duke University and the University of California-Berkeley said the pills are available for full-time students.

But each school distributes the pill differently.

Patsy Huff, UNC Student Health Service pharmacy director, said students can get the pill on a walk-in basis at Student Health.

UNC does allow students to get one dose of the contraceptive to have on hand for future use, although it is not intended for frequent use.

But Jean Hanson, assistant director of health services at Duke, said the pill is available to students only by appointment with a nurse.

Hanson said the pill is offered because "it's an option, it's safe, and it's something we can do for the students."

Students may obtain a prescription for Plan B for future use, but Duke health services emphasizes that it is not meant to be used as ongoing birth control.

She added that Plan B does have minor side affects that include nausea and dizziness.

Pam Cameron, assistant director for clinical services at UC-Berkeley, said that school health officers offer ECPs by prescription only but that female students are informed about the contraceptive at annual gynecology exams.

While none of the schools specifically target students by advertising the ECPs, they have contraceptive information readily available on their student health service Web sites.

Many also make contraceptive options known to students through peer education groups.

Staff writer India Autry contributed to this article.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.