California Women Will Soon Be Able to Get a Year's Supply of Birth Control

California women will only have to make one trip a year to the pharmacy to pick up birth control under a new law.

Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill to allow pharmacists to dispense 12 months of hormonal contraceptives at one time. This will make it more convenient for women in the state, who previously, were only able to get a three months supply at a time.

The new law will also requires insurance companies to cover a year's supply of doctor-prescribed birth control.

The bill's author, Democratic Sen. Fran Pavley of Agoura Hills,  and other supporters, said longer supplies will reduce skipped doses and prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions.

“Given the demands of work and family, women can’t always find time to run off to a drug store to refill an ongoing prescription,” Pavley said in a written statement. “Unlike with other medications, to go even a day or two without birth control can result in a serious consequence. This change will make women’s lives easier and dramatically reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy.”

A University of California San Francisco study found that a 12-month supply of birth control decreased unplanned pregnancies by 30 percent, compared with a supply of just one or three months. The study also found that giving women a one-year supply of birth control reduced the odds of an abortion by 46 percent.

California joins Oregon and Washington D.C. in passing laws allowing for access to a year's supply of birth control.

Health insurance associations had opposed the change, claiming it could result in duplicate coverage by different insurers and more wasted medication.

The new law will take effect on Jan. 1.

This post includes reporting from the Associated Press.