Easy ways to get the pill: options beyond the GP surgery

The pill decision - a doctor can help 

Choosing your birth control pill is a big decision. Firstly, there are different types which work in your body in different ways. You can read about the píldora anticonceptiva oral combinada (COC) and the píldora solo de progestágeno (POP), sometimes called the mini pill. Then, the choice between brands - and their potential symptoms - can feel huge.  

This is why discussing your options first with a doctor or sexual health specialist can be the best way to make an informed decision. Dr Catherine Hyatt, medical content lead at ZipHealth and MedExpress, says: "a doctor will find out about your medical history and any medications you may be taking to work out the method and brand which will be best suited for you."

Si bien una visita a tu médico te ayuda a tomar una decisión informada, hay una creciente conciencia de que visitar una consulta de médico de cabecera o una clínica de salud sexual no siempre es fácil para todos. Es un momento en el que las personas llevan vidas ocupadas y las consultas médicas pueden tener pocas citas o en horarios que no te convienen. Para ayudar a resolver este problema, los servicios de farmacia ahora pueden ofrecer a más mujeres un acceso más rápido y directo cerca de donde viven.

Estas se llaman píldoras anticonceptivas de venta libre o sin receta. Y a diferencia de las recetas que recoges en tu farmacia, se omite la cirugía inicial o la visita a la clínica. En su lugar, un farmacéutico capacitado hablará sobre tus opciones y encontrará la píldora adecuada para ti.

¿Cuáles son las opciones en el Reino Unido?

"Certain pharmacies in England and Wales now offer the option of getting the birth control pill without a prescription,” says Dr Hyatt. Until a new NHS scheme was introduced in 2023, you could only collect birth control pills from pharmacies that had been prescribed by your GP surgery.   

 Your high street options are different in the rest of the UK:  

Northern Ireland - Puedes comprar ciertas píldoras solo de progesterona en farmacias sin receta¹. 

Scotland - Las farmacias pueden proporcionar un suministro inicial de tres meses de la píldora solo de progestágeno. Esto se llama una píldora de transición ya que cubre el intervalo entre la anticoncepción de emergencia y la anticoncepción a largo plazo. Esto te da tiempo para encontrar la anticoncepción adecuada para ti, mientras previenes un embarazo no planificado. Para una receta más prolongada u otras opciones de píldoras anticonceptivas, necesitas visitar a tu médico de cabecera o clínica de salud sexual².  

What are the US options?  

According to pharmacist Navin Khosla, 26 US states allow pharmacies to prescribe over the counter birth control pills, as well as doctors. "Make sure you discuss any queries or concerns with your pharmacist, so that you're choosing the most suitable contraceptive for your needs," she advises.  

"La accesibilidad varía de estado a estado, con algunos teniendo más restricciones que otros en cuanto a la edad y la forma de anticoncepción; en muchos casos, debes tener 18 años o más para recibir anticonceptivos de un farmacéutico."

If you're under 18 and planning on having safer, consensual sex, it's important you can still get hold of birth control easily. But your access to the birth control pill, and especially the COC or 'combined' pill, depends on where you live:  

• In several states you can get a prescription for the pill from your doctor either without your parents' permission, with permission, or when you meet certain criteria.  

• You can check the rules in your state with esta herramienta.  

• The pill is also often available in school and university-based health clinics.  

• Desde marzo de 2024, una píldora solo de progestágeno se hizo disponible en las tiendas sin restricción de edad. Se comercializa bajo la marca Opill.

Buying birth control pills online is a convenient and discreet option for the digital age. But it is important you check the seller is legitimate and licensed, to avoid buying counterfeit products that could do you harm. 

El Dr. Hyatt dice: "verifique que una farmacia en línea esté completamente regulada y registrada con los organismos profesionales pertinentes antes de pedir medicamentos a través de ellos. Esto lo mantiene seguro y asegura que las farmacias operen con los más altos estándares."

If you're not sure or have any concerns, it's best to visit your local pharmacy, doctors' surgery, or sexual health clinic instead.  

Buying online in the UK  

Across the UK, you can pay for birth control pills online through registered online pharmacies. Many will request you complete an online consultation with a doctor or pharmacist. There are also free online NHS services like My Local Surgery that provide three-month supplies, and tus píldoras anticonceptivas pueden ser entregadas directamente en tu hogar por correo.

You can only pedir la píldora en línea if you are at least 16 years old, and some online services request you're at least 18. This is because as a young person, it's especially important you speak with your doctor or pharmacist to understand exactly how it works and the possible side effects. If you are very young or vulnerable, doctors also like to talk to you about your reasons for choosing birth control, and whether it is consensual, to make sure you are safe.

Buying online in the US  

You have similar online options in the US if you're over 18, or if you're younger you now have the opportunity to order Opill, the first US over the counter pill. Like online services in the UK, you'll first answer questions about your medical history and health for a doctor to review remotely. You may also need to have a video consultation, depending on where you live. Once your chosen pill is prescribed, this can either be sent to your home or local pharmacy for you to collect.  

1. Salud Sexual NI: Anticoncepción.   

2. NHS Inform Scotland: Puente (anticoncepción a corto plazo).