Maryland is among a handful of states allowing women to obtain birth control directly from a pharmacist. "If a patient comes to our pharmacy and requests a prescription for a hormonal contraceptive, our pharmacist can actually do a full consultation with them and the patient can leave us with their medication in hand," says pharmacist Olamide Banjo, manager of patient care services for Safeway, which is one of the first major chains to offer the service. "We have seen patients who are new transplants to the area," Banjo says. “Being in Washington, DC, we see people who are in flux, they come in for work, patients who aren’t able to get into their physician’s office." Patients simply fill out a form and have their blood pressure taken. A pharmacist then reviews the patient's medical history and discusses birth control options. The patient leaves with the medication, with no appointment necessary. Pharmacies are open late into the evening and on weekends when doctors' offices are closed. Research by the Guttmacher Institute shows almost one-half of all pregnancies in the United States are not planned.