In September 2020, a new type of non-hormonal birth control called Phexxi launched after it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since then, it’s popped up in TV and social media ads, heavily targeting younger women who want birth control but are wary of putting hormones in their body.
But Phexxi has quietly flown under the radar for a bit, and only a small number of women have tried the drug so far. Evofem Biosciences, the company that makes Phexxi, shared in a press release in March that it sold more than 2,400 units of the contraceptive in February, which was a 30% increase over the previous month. Monthly prescriptions also grew 32% to 2,349, the company said. By comparison, 6.6 million women in the US are on the Pill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Because it’s still so new, many women may not know much (or anything at all) about Phexxi, how it works, or who might benefit most from the medication Here are the basics, including how Phexxi differs from other forms of birth control, and when you might want to ask your doctor about it.