ATLANTA — Women could get birth control drugs directly from pharmacies without needing a doctor’s prescription, according to a bill that cleared the Georgia House on Wednesday.

The proposal would expand availability of contraceptives in Georgia, where state law bans abortions once a doctor can detect fetal cardiac activity, which typically occurs around six weeks after conception and before many women know they’re pregnant.

Supporters said the bill would especially help women in rural areas without an obstetrician. Of Georgia’s 159 counties, 83 lack an OB-GYN.

“This will make it easier for women to access birth control. There are pharmacies in every county in Georgia,” said Rebecca Stone, a clinical professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy. “It’s an important medication. We use birth control for other medical conditions,” including irregular cycles, bleeding problems, and skin conditions.

The House passed the legislation 162-4. It now advances to the state Senate.

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Beth Camp, R-Concord, said abstinence is the only guaranteed way to prevent pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, but she said pharmacists are qualified to dispense birth control medications.

“This is not a morality bill. This is a medication bill that allows further access,” Camp said. “Oftentimes, the only healthcare provider in an area is going to be a pharmacist.”

Pharmacists in 36 other states are already able to dispense contraceptives, Camp said.

House Bill 1138 would permit any licensed Georgia pharmacist to dispense contraceptives to patients who are at least 18 years old, or to minors with a previous prescription from a doctor. Pharmacists wouldn’t be required to dispense birth control if they don’t want to.

In addition, the legislation requires health insurance policies and Medicaid to provide at least a three-month supply of birth control.

“This is a big step for Georgians to be able to access not just pills, but injectables” such as progesterone shots, said Staci Fox, president and CEO for the liberal-leaning Georgia Budget & Policy Institute. “When we look at a state with a severe abortion ban, more access to contraceptives is better.”