Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Mini-pill, big impact

Back in 1973, the FDA approved the Opill, an oral birth control pill, for use with a prescription. Now, 50 years after its initial approval, Opill has become the first oral contraceptive approved by the FDA for use without a prescription. Opill is a progestin-only pill that prevents pregnancy by thickening cervical mucus at the entrance to the uterus so that sperm can’t pass through to fertilize the egg. With the Opill’s approval, the U.S. joins more than 100 countries around the world that have made at least one birth control pill option available over the counter. Learn more about over-the-counter birth control.