Pharmacists Can Play Important Role in Contraceptive Services
A discussion with Natalie DiPietro Mager, PharmD, PhD, on how community pharmacists can improve access to contraceptive services.
Access to reproductive health care is critical for the nearly 66 million women in the United States who are between the ages of 15 and 44.1 However, over the past several years, data has shown that access to comprehensive reproductive health care has decreased due to a number of barriers, including restrictions on reproductive rights, difficultly finding clinics that offer reproductive health care services, and logistical constraints.2
According to Natalie DiPietro Mager, PharmD, PhD, professor of pharmacy practice at Ohio Northern University, pharmacists are in a key position to provide reproductive health care services. As the most accessible members of the health care team, pharmacists can offer patients different screenings, access to OTC and prescription contraception, as well as counseling and education services.
Drug Topics sat down with DiPietro Mager to discuss the role that community pharmacists can play in improving access to contraceptive services.
“We do see in our country higher rates of unintended pregnancy,” DiPietro Mager said. ”Among patients who report unintended pregnancy, nearly half report using a contraceptive product in the month prior to conception. Either that means it’s been used incorrectly or inconsistently or patients may be discontinuing their contraception due to side effects. That’s where pharmacists can really step in. We can make sure patients know how to use their contraception correctly and consistency each time. We can educate patients about what sort of side effects they can expect and how to mitigate those and if they do feel like they want to switch methods, how to do so effectively.”
Be sure to check out parts 1 and 2 from this interview with Natalie DiPietro Mager.
References
1. Population. Report. March of Dime. February 24, 2024. Accessed January 27, 2025. https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/data?reg=99&top=14&stop=125&slev=1&obj=3
2. Espey E, Dennis A, Landy U. The importance of access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion: a statement from women's health professional organizations. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Jan;220(1):67-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.09.008. Epub 2018 Sep 26. PMID: 30267653.
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