GETTING STARTED ON BIRTH CONTROL
All women requesting a birth control method requiring a prescription will need to schedule an appointment. Two options exist for women who are seeking prescription birth control through UHS for the first time.

One option is to schedule a complete annual exam. At that appointment, a clinician will review your health history, perform a complete physical, including a pelvic exam (and possible pap smear), and review various contraceptive options and their risks and benefits.

The second option is to schedule a brief appointment (without an exam) for the clinician to review your health history and various contraceptive options.

Required reading for hormonal birth control prescriptions:

• Conbined Hormonal Contraception (Benefits and risks associated with the pill, ring and the patch)
• The Pill (Instructions)
• NuvaRing (Instructions)
• The Patch (Instructions)

• Depo-Provera (Benefits, risks and instructions)

An exam is no longer required in order to get started on hormonal contraception. You can make an appointment by calling 863-0774 or by going to online services. If you have not previously completed a Health History Form at UHS, you can do so when you make your on-line appointment by submitting your information on our secure website. For detailed information on pap smears or what to expect at the time of your pelvic exam, see:

This type of appointment is in high demand, often resulting in a 4 to 6 week wait. So be sure to schedule well ahead of time.

GETTING REFILLS OF BIRTH CONTROL METHOD WHEN PRESCRIBED BY A NON-UHS CLINICIAN

Written prescriptions for your birth control method from non-UHS clinicians can be filled at the UHS pharmacy in the Student Health Center.

If your clinician ordered refills that you have not yet had refilled, ask your clinician’s office to fax a new prescription to the UHS pharmacy at (814) 863-5371. Or you may bring the written original presciption to the pharmacy service window. The UHS pharmacy will not give you refills without a written prescription. (The UHS pharmacy cannot accept prescriptions by phone.)

If you are unable to get your clinician to fax a prescription for refills, you will need to make a brief appointment with one of our healthcare providers. These appointments are usually available within a day or two. At this appointment, you will be asked to complete a health history questionnaire, which will be reviewed with you. Unless your health history indicates a contraindication to hormonal birth control, the clinician will then write a new prescription for birth control. Another option would be to schedule an annual exam, instead of a brief appointment, if you are due for your annual exam. However, we no longer require an exam to get hormonal contraception prescribed to you.

If you use DepoProvera and are due for an injection, you will need to provide, at the time of your visit, a copy of your last injection visit. Your clinician may fax the record to UHS at (814) 865-6982. You can make an appointment for an “emergency supply” of birth control by calling (814) 863-0774 or through our online access. If you have not previously completed a Health History Form at UHS, you can do so when you make your on-line appointment on our secure website.

REQUIRED HEALTH HISTORY FOR ANNUAL EXAM

A complete health history is routinely required when women have annual exams. If you have not previously completed our health history form, we recommend that you fill out the form online or come fifteen minutes early on the day of your appointment so that you can fill it out.