Birth Control Prices at US Colleges Skyrocket

Many college students may no longer be able to afford birth control come September, thanks to a 2006 bill that discourages drug companies from offering schools deep discounts on contraceptives. The change went into effect this year, but students will feel the crunch only now, as health centers that stocked up on cheap birth control run out, the Journal reports.

As prices skyrocket, from about $20 for a monthly pill or patch prescription to around $50, some students are switching to generics or overcoming their embarrassment and using their parents' insurance. One expert calls the resulting situation a "double-edged sword": Condom use is expected to rise, increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy but driving down the STD infection rate. (More sexual health stories.)