10TV: Now There's an App for Birth Control

We have all heard the saying ‘There’s an app for that,’ and now there is an app for birth control.

Companies all over the country are now creating online platforms for people to receive their birth control prescription. It bypasses the need for an annual appointments and use telemedicine to prescribe the birth control.

However, some doctors are expressing concerns that patients who receive their birth control online will start skipping their annual checkups.

In an interview with 10TV, Dr. Anita Somani, OB/GYN at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital and Comprehensive Women’s Care spoke about how important it is to have yearly visits with your doctor and how online prescriptions should never replace the need for annual appointments.

“The problem with that is that you’re virtually talking to someone on the other end and you’re not getting that personalized screening,” Dr. Somani told 10TV. “Skipping out could mean missing out.”

These annual appointments with your doctor are important in order to receive proper screening for things such as cancer and other life threatening diseases. It also allows you to a face to face conversation with your OB/GYN to voice any specific concerns you may have.

“There are certain things we want to talk about, obesity screening is very important. Obesity can lead to so many other illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and people don’t recognize that obesity also leads to several different cancers like breast cancer and colon cancer,” said Dr. Somani. 

If you do choose to use a birth control app it is all you will need to do is fill out a few health history questions and then a medical team will find a fit that is best for you. Make sure you are still scheduling those annual appointments with your doctor if you choose to use an app.

To find an OhioHealth gynecologist click here.