Sacramento

United States / California / Sacramento

OVERVIEW

Contraception (Birth Control)

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here.

Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Check to see if your country carries ellaOne. If your country doesn't carry ellaOne, copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If none of these options are available, and it's been over 3 days since you had unprotected sex, you can still take EC, which may work up to 5 days. Note that EC pills are not 100% effective and should be taken as soon as possible.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Menstruation

Note: In addition to pads and tampons, you can also use menstrual cups and menstrual underwear for your period. To learn more about menstrual cups, click here. To learn more about menstrual underwear, click here.

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Planned Parenthood, B Street Health Center: "B Street Health Center offers the following women's health services: checkups when you have a reproductive/sexual health problem, breast exams, cervical cancer screening, colposcopy, cryotherapy, hormone replacement therapy, infertility education, infertility testing, LEEP (treatment of abnormal pap), mammogram referrals, menopause and midlife education, menopause and midlife testing and treatment, Pap test, urinary tract infection (UTI) testing and treatment, vaginal infection testing and treatment. Other services we may provide include help with irregular periods or no periods, painful periods, painful sex, bleeding between periods, menstrual problems (premenstrual syndrome) or even a lost tampon." Address: 201 29th Street, Ste. B, Sacramento, CA 95816. Phone: 916-446-6921. Fax: 916-446-0640. English; Spanish; Interpretation by telephone available for other languages.

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

Under the California Prenatal Screening Program, the State of California offers pregnant women 3 screening tests which are aimed at establishing whether the expectant mother is at an increased risk of carrying a child with a chromosomal abnormality or a birth defect. Expectant mothers can also opt for non-invasive prenatal testing (abbreviated as NIPT and also known as cell-free fetal DNA testing). NIPT is carried out on maternal blood samples collected via a venous blood draw at around 10 weeks or later in pregnancy. The test looks at tiny fragments of fetal DNA found naturally in a pregnant woman's blood.More info.

Laws in California make it illegal for an employer to discriminate based upon the results of such tests; should you experience any form of discrimination you may contact the Chief of the Genetic Disease Screening Program. California employer discrimination law sums this up as: “Pregnancy discrimination is unlawful sex discrimination. State and federal laws specifically protect "pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions" against discrimination.”

“The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibit discrimination against women because of pregnancy. The federal law, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), also states that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions is illegal.”

Source: A Guide to Employment Law in California

What to Get & Where to Get It

PanoramaTM and Ariosa Diagnostics’ Harmony noninvasive prenatal test are covered by Medi-Cal in California. The NIPT test is used to establish chromosomal abnormalities and neural tube defects in the developing fetus including, but not limited to, Down’s syndrome, Edward's syndrome, Turner’s syndrome and others. NIPT testing is generally recommended to women who are at an increased risk of having a baby with a chromosomal anomaly. It is usually available starting at 10 weeks of pregnancy. Not all women need undergo NIPT testing but it is strongly recommended in women that are at an advanced maternal age (women that conceive over 35), those who have a family history of a particular genetic disorder, couples that have undergone preconception testing which indicated they were at increased risk of conceiving a child with a particular hereditary, chromosomal abnormality or women who already had a child with a chromosomal abnormality. Over the past few years there has been a shift in paradigm among medical professionals and you will find many doctors recommending all screening options with all pregnant women irrespective of their risk factors.

It is important to note that results of a screening NIPT test only provide an indication as to whether or not your baby is at an increased risk of a chromosomal condition. NIPT screening testing is not a diagnosis. In fact, it is likely that in the event of a result indicating you may be carrying a baby that suffers from a chromosomal abnormality or any type of birth defect, further diagnostic testing will be required. Because screening tests do not actually diagnose fetal birth defects, the California Prenatal Screening Program provides women who are at high risk free follow up services at state-approved Prenatal Diagnosis Centers (PDCs). There are State Prenatal Diagnostic Centers (PDC) that covers all phases of the California Prenatal Screening Program such as Genetics Center. Based on the results of screening tests, diagnostic tests (such as amniocentesis) may be recommended. These tests require samples to be collected by an OBGYN. Furthermore, they carry certain risks which are best discussed with your health care provider. Be sure to also discuss all your options with your prenatal care provider who should also be able to provide you with the California Prenatal Screening Program booklet.

Costs

The cost of testing through the Prenatal Screening Program is $221.60 and participation is entirely voluntary. The tests are offered free of charge to families in California who are under the Medi-Cal social health care program. For individuals not on Medi-Cal, insurance companies and HMOs are required to cover the fees for the screening program.

NIPT screening tests are offered to expectant mothers in California free of charge under the California Prenatal Screening Program. The NIPT test would normally cost around $550. Since 2009, the Program has included options for first and/or second trimester screening.

The California Prenatal Screening Program: “Options and choices” not “coercion and eugenics”

Commercial Landscape of noninvasive prenatal testing in the United States California Department of Public Health

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Planned Parenthood, B Street Health Center: "B Street Health Center offers the following abortion services: abortion pill (medication abortion), in-clinic abortion, pre- and post-abortion patient education, post-abortion follow-up exams, referrals for other abortion services, as needed, sedation options (medication to make the abortion more comfortable), miscarriage services." Address: 201 29th Street, Ste. B, Sacramento, CA 95816. Phone: 916-446-6921. Fax: 916-446-0640. English; Spanish; Interpretation by telephone available for other languages.