Inquiries about birth control and contraception increase at Columbia Planned Parenthood
The Planned Parenthood Columbia Health Center continues regular operations after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last month to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that gave individuals a constitutional right to an abortion.
Since the center had not been performing abortions, the same services it provided before the Supreme Court's decision remain available now, wrote Jessy Poole, Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokesperson, in a recent email to the Tribune.
The state of Missouri enacted a "trigger law" that bans the procedure except for when necessary to save the mother's life.
More: Rallies in Columbia inform on how to receive care after Roe v. Wade overturned
Planned Parenthood Great Plains operates the Columbia Health Center.
"Patients and the public are rightfully worried and confused following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade," Poole wrote. "The first thing to know is that PPGP’s Columbia health center is still open and continues to provide all of the primary, sexual and reproductive health care it has for years."
"The state’s ban does not affect our services," he added.
Inquiries regarding birth control and emergency contraception have increased since the Dobbs decision came down, Poole wrote. People have been asking what birth control and contraception methods are legal and available.
"The short answer is all of them. This includes emergency contraceptives, such as Plan B and Ella," Poole wrote.
Birth control is a medication that either delays or prevents ovulation through a large dose of progesterone, he noted.
Emergency contraceptives are not abortion, he added.
"(They) do not end an ongoing pregnancy. (Emergency contraception) is legal in Missouri and available at PPGP's Columbia Health Center. The same goes for birth control," Poole wrote.
Planned Parenthood has not observed a trend of people attempting to stockpile emergency contraception, Poole wrote a week after the court's decision. Some chain pharmacies put sale limits on emergency contraception in the days following the decision.
Even after the Dobbs decision, demand for services at the Columbia Health Center has remained consistent, Poole wrote.
More people have reached out asking how to support the center's work, he said.
NOTE: This story has been updated since original publication to reflect the correct gender pronouns for Jessy Poole. Poole uses he/him pronouns.
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community issues and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Birth control, contraception in focus at Columbia Planned Parenthood
