CVS limits purchases of Plan B pills following Supreme Court ruling on abortion

Less than a week after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, CVS pharmacy announced it would begin limiting the number of emergency contraceptive pills people can buy at once, CNBC reports.

The move to limit the purchase of morning-after pills was to ensure "equitable access and consistent supply on store shelves," CVS explained, adding that it had an ample supply of pills. People can now only buy up to three packs of the pill per order for the "Plan B" and "Aftera" brands of medication, which typically cost $49.99 and $39.99.

People reportedly began buying large quantities of the products after the Supreme Court ended federal protections for abortion and some social media users began "to urge people to stock up on contraceptive pills," CNBC says.

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Unlike an abortion pill, which terminates a pregnancy, a "levonorgestrel morning-after pill — like Plan B One-Step — can lower your chance of getting pregnant by 75-89 percent if you take it within three days after unprotected sex," Planned Parenthood notes. A Plan B pill can be purchased without an ID or prescription, while abortion pills require a prescription and involve two doses taken within 10 weeks of pregnancy, the Kaiser Family Foundation writes.

Other drug store chains such as Walgreens have not put a restriction on emergency contraceptives, a spokesperson for Walgreens notes. However, a representative for Walmart said Tuesday that there are online purchase limits that are subject to change as the demand continues to fluctuate.