The Plan B pill has an increased number of sales during football season, especially the day after home games.
Campus Health Service confirmed that, in comparison to the rest of the school year, purchases of the morning after pill increase during football season.
“”We see a trend of more usage after, you know, that weekend of a home football game,”” said Kim Birmingham, the chief pharmacist at Campus Health.
Plan B is a pill that prevents pregnancy in the event of failed birth control or unprotected sex. The pill must be taken by three days after sex in order to work successfully. The sooner it is taken, the more effective, according to the Plan B One-Step website.
The average number of Plan B sales at the UA was 3.65 on a regular day from Aug. 25, 2008 to May 16, 2009. The day after a home football game, the average number sold was 7.25, Birmingham said.
During football season, mistakes can happen because students have a reason to celebrate and go out more, said Shayna Gilmore, a political science junior.
“”I’m sure there’s a lot of alcohol that goes into those decisions,”” she said.
Gilmore said it is a good thing that Plan B can be easily purchased at Campus Health.
“”Mistakes are made and I feel like that’s a relatively low-maintenance way to prevent unwanted pregnancy,”” Gilmore said.
Having Plan B available at Campus Health is helpful for people who are caught in a situation or predicament, said Max Klein, an undecided sophomore. Plan B purchases during football season could be related to students being excited about their team, Klein said.
“”Everyone loves celebrating a big win,”” he said. “”And everyone is about the touchdowns.””
In addition to asking common questions about how well the pill will work and when to take it, many students voice their concerns about confidentiality when purchasing Plan B, Birmingham said.
“”A lot of them pay for it the same day as opposed to letting it go to the Bursar’s account,”” she said. “”Some of them ask, ‘How does it show up in my Bursar’s account?'””
Students fear that their parents will see the Plan B purchase on the bill, but Birmingham confirmed that it only shows up as a Campus Health charge on the Bursar account.
It is beneficial for college students to have Plan B behind the counter, but it should only be used as a back-up method, Birmingham said. Women should not depend on it as their regular form of birth control.
“”I hope women realize it’s not a form of contraception in the sense that it’s not as good as contraception, regular contraception,”” she said. “”Hopefully people are educated or informed enough to realize that.””
Plan B, while effective, comes with side-effects such as nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue, change in menstrual period, breast tenderness and vomiting, Birmingham said.
