More states are moving toward over-the-counter hormonal birth control: What to know

In the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court ruling that there is no constitutional right to abortion, more states are moving toward increasing access to hormonal contraceptives without a clinician’s prescription.

Last week, Arizona joined the 19 other states and Washington, D.C., that allow patients over the age of 18 to obtain hormonal contraceptives without being seen by a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner. Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) said the move to do so was for “standing up to the extremists who threaten access to basic healthcare our families rely on.”