The truth about emergency contraception, local healthcare options

We would like to address the news release found on the front page of the Bonner County Daily Bee (May 25, 2025). It hailed the "7B Care Clinic" as a free women's health provider concerned about empowering women and offering comprehensive care. We beg to differ, and are concerned that the article contains disinformation that could harm women, including those who may be in a difficult position regarding pregnancy risk, and those in an abusive relationship.

We have looked into the 7B Care "women's health clinic" and found that it is in reality not a medical clinic at all. They promote themselves as a ministry, and offer no medical services other than limited/basic ultrasounds and pregnancy testing. The "nurse" who does the ultrasounds does not give her nursing credentials or any radiology certification to perform or interpret ultrasounds. There is no obvious medical support, no radiologist is reading these ultrasounds, and the mission comes across as anti-choice by, for example, providing items for a baby by accruing points.

There is a real free clinic for family planning in North Idaho. It is the Panhandle Medical Clinic located in Sandpoint (208-263-5159, 2101 W. Pine St.). There you can see a licensed healthcare provider who offers appropriate evidenced-based care, including unbiased and non-judgmental counseling.

The comments about Plan B made in the release are disputable. We want to explain the true mechanism of Plan B and the circumstances in which it may be used. Morning after pills (Plan B) work mainly by delaying or preventing the release of an egg from the ovaries (called ovulation). They also thicken the cervical mucus so that sperm are less able to swim up into the uterus. This is why it's important to take Plan B within 72 hours of intercourse. Think of it as a backup — it's not for routine use. That's why it's called Plan B. The morning after pill does not end a pregnancy that has already started.

The Mayo Clinic explains that Plan B is to be used to prevent pregnancy in people who didn't use their regular type of birth control (such as condoms) or if there was contraceptive failure (it broke), if they missed doses of daily birth control pills, or if they were sexually assaulted, according to the Mayo Clinic (Volume 91, Issue 6 P802-807 June 2016). Plan B or "emergency contraception" has been in use since the 1960s and was approved by the FDA in 1998.

As for availability and concern over use, Plan B is available over the counter at many retail stores and pharmacies. No age or ID requirement, or prescription is necessary, much like many other OTC medications such as acetaminophen or cold medicine. And like all OTC medications, there are instructions, warnings, and advice to contact your medical professional should you have any questions or concerns right on the box.

We would like to thank those businesses who provide these reproductive health items (including pregnancy tests and condoms) at no cost to their customers. KUDOS to them!!

CYNTHIA DALSING, MSN CNM Ret., 

Sandpoint

RANDI LUI

Pro-reproductive advocate 

and volunteer

Sandpoint

JESSSICA TINGLEY

Family planning advocate 

and clinical assistant

Sandpoint