What to Do if Your Doctor Can’t See You for Months (and You Need Birth Control Now)

It’s true: doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are extremely busy. They have lots of different types of patients with different kinds of medical needs that require different kinds of care and management. While this is understandable, it can be frustrating when your doctor says they won’t refill your birth control prescription unless you come into the office for an appointment… and the first opening in their schedule isn’t for months.

This is just one of the ways that birth control has become inaccessible for many people. Other ways include taking unpaid time off to leave work for an appointment, a lack of stable childcare, not enough gas money, or even a lack of health centers providing contraceptive services in the area.

Birth control is an essential tool that gives you the power to make your own plans, on your own schedule, and on your own terms. We believe no one should ever have to go a day without their method, which is why The Right Time health centers all across Missouri offer free or low-cost access to all methods of contraception. Our goal is to reduce the barriers that make it harder for people to get the birth control they want – one of which includes doctors’ offices that are booked out for months.

So, here’s what you do if you can’t get your birth control from your usual provider: call your nearest The Right Time health center, explain your situation, and ask what they suggest. Most patients at The Right Time health centers can be seen by a provider within two weeks, but you may be able to schedule a telehealth appointment for even sooner. In either case, you can ask for guidance on STI and pregnancy prevention to stay covered.