USC students have a variety of options to choose from to prevent or end an unwanted pregnancy throughout the three trimesters. California has some of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country following the passage of Proposition 1 in 2022, which preserved reproductive freedom in the state’s constitution. 

The Daily Trojan compiled resources on how students can access reproductive health services and the restrictions surrounding different options in California.

I’ve had unprotected vaginal sex within the last five days — what can I do?  

Taking emergency contraceptives within five days is the best option to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood. These contraceptives, which prevent pregnancy from occurring, are a form of birth control and not an abortion. 

USC offers three emergency contraceptive options: an intrauterine device, a T-shaped device implanted in the uterus; ella, an oral pill containing ulipristal acetate and levonorgestrel, the active ingredient in many morning-after pills such as Plan B.

An IUD inserted within 5 days of having unprotected sex is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Students can make medical appointments, view their lab test results and communicate with nurses through Student Health’s online portal called MySHR. Despite what the MySHR portal states, Student Health can provide IUDs to all students, Van Orman said. However, only those enrolled in SHIP can have the procedure fully covered as Student Health currently cannot bill non-SHIP insurances for this procedure, Van Orman said. 

IUD implanting appointments cannot be booked through MySHR. Students must instead call Student Health’s 24/7 call center at (213) 740-9355 to schedule an appointment. This is required, in part, so nurses can easily obtain the student’s information, book the multiple required appointments and begin counseling students, Van Orman said.   

“MySHR is not the most technologically friendly software,” Van Orman said. “If you need something and you’re trying to book online and you’re like, ‘I’m not figuring this out, I’m not getting what I need,’ call us.” 

Planned Parenthood, which has nine locations within a 10-mile radius of USC, also offers IUD insertion services. The closest clinic is located on West 30th Street, a 20-minute walk from Hahn Plaza.  

Ella, the oral pill, is 85% effective if taken within five days after having unprotected sex, according to Planned Parenthood. However, it is less effective for individuals weighing 195 pounds or more. Van Orman said students can obtain prescriptions through Student Health, but encouraged students to utilize the pharmacy vending machines located on USC’s campus instead. 

“I encourage [students] not to necessarily call or get a prescription,” Van Orman said. “Time is really important with emergency contraception. We know that it’s most effective the closer it is to … unprotected intercourse that may lead to pregnancy.” 

Levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone used in most morning-after pills, is 75 to 89% effective if taken within three days of having unprotected sex, and it is best to take it as soon as possible, according to Planned Parenthood. It is less effective for individuals weighing more than 165 pounds.

In 2024, Student Health and the Undergraduate Student Government collaborated to install a pharmacy vending machines at USC Village, the Royal Parking Structure and Seaver Residence Hall. Available 24/7, they offer students emergency contraceptives at subsidized rates. The morning-after pill EContra One-Step, which contains levonorgestrel, is available for $5.  

Several brands offering levonorgestrel pills are also available at USC Village Target, ranging from $39.99 to $49.99 per pill. Buying them over-the-counter or through a pharmacy vending machine means paying the full cost: SHIP will only cover emergency contraceptives if they are prescribed by a medical provider or pharmacist.

Over five days have passed, but I’m still in my first trimester — what now?  

Once the five-day window for emergency contraception has passed, contraceptives’  effectiveness significantly declines. At this point, a medication abortion — also called the “abortion pill” — is the best option, according to Planned Parenthood.

According to Planned Parenthood, medical abortion pills terminate a pregnancy 91 to 93% of the time when taken during the ninth and 10th week of pregnancy. Taking an extra dose of the misoprostol pill causes the effectiveness to rise to 99%. 

Students who paid the Student Health Fee can book an in-person or telehealth consultation regarding a medication abortion and then receive counseling, follow-up care and medication. Organizations such as the National Abortion Federation and the National Network of Abortion Funds may be able to provide financial support to those in need.  

The University has partnered with Hey Jane, a fully virtual clinic that offers telemedicine abortion care and abortion pills via mail to patients in California. Students can have abortion pills mailed in discreet packaging to their dorm rooms, provided they fill out a comprehensive questionnaire, upload a form of ID and sign consent forms. 

Students with SHIP can have their pills fully covered; students with other private insurance must check their plans. California law requires private health insurance to cover abortions. 

I’ve reached my second trimester — what are my options?

After the 11th week of pregnancy, a medication abortion is no longer a reliable option, leaving a procedure-based abortion as the remaining choice.

In California, abortion is banned once a fetus reaches viability — when it can survive outside the uterus — which typically occurs between the 24th and 26th weeks of pregnancy. Abortions may still be performed in California if a physician determines that continuing the pregnancy would endanger the life or health of the pregnant individual.    

Student Health does not offer any surgical abortion services, but they still “work very closely” with students to ensure they get a referral to a place that meets their needs and accepts their insurance, Van Orman said. 

The closest Planned Parenthood to University Park Campus that performs procedure-based abortions is the Dorothy Hecht Health Center located in South Central, but the closest clinic overall is FPA Women’s Health Downtown L.A. location. 

Under the Student Health Insurance Plan, students enrolled in the on-campus plan — meaning they take at least one class in person — are required to obtain a referral from Student Health for off-campus care, or else face a coverage penalty. However, reproductive or sexual health care, such as “treatment of pregnancy,” are exempted from this rule.  

“We are here to support [pregnant students] in understanding what that means for them emotionally, physically [and] medically,” Van Orman said. “We are happy to help support them as they figure out what they need at that time.”

How does my insurance impact what care I can receive?

If seeking contraceptive or abortion care through Student Health, students need to know if they are enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan, as Student Health cannot bill private insurance providers for some procedures, Chief Campus Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman said in a briefing with the Daily Trojan on Tuesday.

All undergraduates enrolled in over 6 units are automatically enrolled in Student Health’s plan unless they provide proof of coverage under another insurance plan. The insurance premium to enroll in the plan varies in cost depending on optional add-ons, but it costs at least $2,298 for the Spring 2026 semester. 

This fee is different from the mandatory Student Health Fee — which costs $700 per semester — and covers additional immunizations, meetings with healthcare professionals and other actions throughout the semester.

Editor’s note: The article was updated to clarify that the cost of the Student Health Insurance Plan is separate from the Student Health Fee.