Reproductive Health

Community Health Organizers (CHOs) are students who are passionate about public health. CHOs have trainings on safe sex and consent that they are happy to share with Smith houses, student groups or other organizations within the college. If you’re interested in receiving this training, please email wellness@smith.edu to set it up.

Free contraception, including latex and non-latex condoms, internal condoms, dental dams and lube, are distributed to each house by Health and Wellness Liaisons at the beginning of every semester. Additionally, free contraception is available in each Schacht Center bathroom.

• Schacht Center provides Plan B and Ella to students free of charge, regardless of insurance coverage. This can be given as part of your care planning at a visit with a nurse of NP/MD, as part of a discussion on how to best meet your needs. Call 413-585-2800 to schedule an appointment.
• Levonorgestrel pills, also known as "Plan B" or EZcontra, prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation so that the egg is not released early enough to get fertilized by the sperm. Levonorgestrel can lower your chance of getting pregnant by 75-89% if you take it within 3 days after unprotected sex. Plan B may be less effective for patients over 155 pounds or who have a BMI over 25. Students are not charged for Ella or Plan B provided at the Schacht Center. Plan B is available over the counter - students can buy Plan B from a variety of pharmacies within 1 mile of campus. Most medications are free of charge and without a copay through the Affordable Care Act.
• Ella is a non-hormonal birth control that is designed to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg. It can lower your chances of becoming pregnant by 85 percent if taken within 5 days of sex, and works on a broader patient weight range. Ella requires a prescription, which the Schacht Center is able to provide. Students are not charged for Ella provided at the Schacht Center. Most medications are free of charge and without a copay through the Affordable Care Act. 

Prescriptions: Providers at Schacht can provide a variety of birth control pill prescriptions based on student need/preference. Meeting with a Schacht Center provider is a no-cost service for any Smith student and prescriptions are sent to pharmacies and billed through insurance. Most forms of birth control are required by be covered in full under the Affordable Care act, with no cost sharing passed on to the patient. The Schacht Center can provide a prescription so that the medication can be filled at a local pharmacy. 

Referrals: We refer students interested in getting IUDs, implants, or surgical birth control to outside providers who specialize in reproductive health or gynecologic care. We most commonly refer to community services within 2 miles of Smith. We also recognize that transportation should not be a barrier to accessing healthcare and are happy to support students to access care off campus.

Removal: Our providers at Schacht are able to conduct removals of most implants or IUDs.

A pap smear is a test done on someone who has a cervix to screen for cervical cancer. Individuals who are 21 years or older with a cervix are recommended to have a cervical cancer screening every three years. The screening is billed through insurance, but is often free. Screening is recommended at age 21, or as soon after age 21 as the patient is able to do so. After that, your provider will advise you when your next Pap is due, based upon your test results and age. Pap smears are no longer recommended for patients under age 21, regardless of reproductive health history. 

Students can book STI screenings online with our “STI Express” webpage. Lab appointments are scheduled about 2 business days once the STI express screening form is submitted and complete results take about 3 business days to return once the labs are drawn. The test is billed through a student’s insurance because it is a lab service. Annual screening for gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV and syphilis is free through most insurances. Routine screening for herpes and HPV is not recommended for most patients. If you have symptoms or have questions, please make an appointment with a provider. 

Students can schedule appointments by calling 413-585-2800. Pregnancy tests done at the Schacht Center are free and do not go through insurance. Providers are available to interpret results and discuss next options with patients.

We refer students to gynecologic specialty providers for these services in order to ensure timely, safe and comprehensive care. We most commonly refer to community services within 2 miles of Smith. Providers will help students connect with the care they wish to receive and will help with appointment scheduling. We also recognize that transportation should not be a barrier to accessing healthcare and are happy to help students access care off campus. Insurance coverage varies by provider. Discretionary emergency funding is available if costs are prohibitive.

Mental health is an important facet of reproductive health. Clinicians within our counseling services are available to work with students around a variety of concerns, including supporting students before and after seeking care such as an abortion. Students are also welcome to sign up for Wellness department one-on-ones to discuss any of these topics.

Our goal is to educate and empower you as we collaborate on how to best meet your needs, as defined by you. There will be no steps taken without your consent. You can choose to discontinue your visit, or change your mind about services requested, at any time. We can also help connect you to Counseling and other community resources to help with support, advocacy, and now to move forward. You are not alone. We are here with you.

• Care is confidential and is only visible to those within the Schacht Center Medical and Counseling team, on a need-to-know basis (except in the case of those under age 18, in which case the provider has a duty to report to legal authorities).

​Specific Care Options:

Your provider will review with you what care options might apply in your case, and can offer their professional recommendation. Depending on your insurance type, lab tests, outside ER visits, or specialists visits may lead to co-payments or a deductible. Your provider can talk to you about what these might be, as well as about funding support available on campus. You can opt in to whatever services you would like to receive, which may include:

• Treatment for injuries/physical trauma
• Pregnancy testing, if applicable
• Discussion of STI recommendations, including empiric treatment and/or post-exposure prophylaxis treatment, as well as sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, as indicated
• Discussion of vaccine recommendations, such as human Papilloma Virus (HPV) or Hepatitis B, as indicated
• Emergency contraception, if needed
• Testing for vaginitis/urinary tract infection (UTI) as needed
• Recommendations and treatment for stress and trauma induced symptoms, as applicable
• Review of self-care strategies
• Advice regarding referral to Cooley Dickinson - e.g. for forensic & Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam, drug screening, or other urgent/emergent treatment as indicated
• Information on other available resources on and off-campus, including but not limited to: help connecting with counseling, psychiatry, and/or the Title IX office.