McKinley much more than a note out of class

By Kate Kostal

McKinley is well known around campus as the free health center that can prove to your professor you actually were sick – stock up on medicine and obtain birth control. The latter option is widely known, but not widely understood.

McKinley offers counseling on sexual health and provides condoms and a wide variety of hormonal contraception options to students.

“They would be hard-pressed not to find something here,” said Dwayne Robinson, pharmacy supervisor.

The first step in obtaining hormonal birth control is attending a birth control education class. This class is mandatory before receiving any forms of contraception. It is offered at McKinley and at other locations on campus.

At this class, students receive a packet that informs about the different options of birth control along with that item’s effectiveness, availability of STI (sexually transmitted infection) protection and additional information. After attending the meeting, students can obtain the birth control method of their choice.

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It is preferred that the students have an annual examination before receiving their contraception. With students who used birth control prior to attending the University, the transfer of medication needs to be dealt with. Students completely new to the experience are encouraged to make an appointment and receive an examination.

“In general, they’re quite safe,” said Dr. David Lawrance, medical director and physician at McKinley Health Center, speaking about birth control options. “But there is an increased risk for blood clots.”

Some forms of birth control adversely affect some people’s blood pressure, increasing their risk for heart disease. Coupled with a genetic disposition for either problem, or with smoking, these risks are greater.

Once a student has attended the mandatory class and received a preferred but not mandatory examination, it is up to them to decide which form of birth control best suits them.

McKinley offers almost every type of birth control option on the market, but only some types are covered by the student health service fee. This makes those condoms that are doled out in quotas “free” to each student. If the type of contraception is not fully covered by the fee, the pharmacy offers it to students at a discount.

“Most birth control pills run around $35 a month,” Robinson said. The most expensive brand currently offered at McKinley is one option at $28, and the nearest brands come in at $15. The brands not offered at McKinley are “generic” forms of hormonal contraception that do not seem to “have great benefits” said Robinson.

Kim Rice, sexual health educator at McKinley Health Center, said some types of birth control, like the Nuva Ring and Ortho Evra patch, are asked for more often than others.

“They’re pretty popular and are sometimes a better option for students since they don’t have to remember it every day,” Rice said. Both the patch and ring are free.

Students wary about using birth control may be aware of horror stories of the side effects. Each hormonal contraception method has different levels of two hormones that cause fluctuations within the body. These two hormones, estrogen and progestin, are offered in high, medium, and low doses in birth-control medications. Some people cannot even use estrogen-based birth control due to a history of excruciating migraines, but they are able to use the medications that use progestin.

With different levels of each hormone come different consequences. Changes in complexion, disposition, weight, breast tenderness, spotting and menstrual cycle disorders are possible side effects of certain types of birth control.

One option, the Depo-Provera method, warns of possible weight gain and depression. At McKinley, there are other options for women who believe they may be more susceptible to the side effects.

“For the majority of women, the side effects are pretty minor,” Rice said, “each individual has their own experience.”

For a full list of the birth control options offered and for more information on McKinley Health Center, visit www.mckinley.uiuc.edu.