Rejoice ladies, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, according to the Associated Press.
The approval comes six decades after birth control was first introduced in the United States.
The OTC birth control pill gives wider access to women and teenage girls who previously required a prescription from a doctor.
Critics say easy access to birth control pills can increase the risk of heart attacks, breast cancer, and can cause undue negative stress and depression in women and young girls.
The FDA’s action only applies to Opill, sometimes called minipills, which have a single hormone and fewer side effects.
Arizona was the latest state to adopt over-the-counter birth control pills last week. The FDA approval takes effect nationwide.
Birth control pills prevent pregnancy by thickening cervical mucus which blocks sperm from penetrating.
The FDA proposed ending birth control prescriptions after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year.
OTC birth control pills will be available in stores nationwide and online early next year.
