Telehealth for Abortion Pills: Safe, Private, and Effective Care at Home
Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — lets your doctor or health worker provide care for you without an in-person office visit. It can be done online with internet access or through phone on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. We are excited to offer this care via telehealth to patients in an effort to increase access and remove barriers to much needed health care. Telehealth for abortion pills is both safe and effective; it is the same care you would receive in-person at a health center, but within the comfort of your own home.
How Medication Abortion Works
Abortion pills were approved by the FDA 20 years ago and involves using two medications to end a pregnancy – mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone required for pregnancy to continue, and misoprostol induces uterine cramping, which results in a period-like process to remove the pregnancy. Medication abortion safely and effectively ends an early pregnancy at home.
The Telehealth Appointment Process
To begin, you will be screened for initial eligibility and then scheduled for a telehealth appointment. Please expect the visit to take approximately 60 minutes. Upon scheduling your visit, you will have access to an eligibility questionnaire that you must complete ahead of your visit. This questionnaire will ask you important questions to ensure that telehealth for abortion pills is a safe option for you.
At the time of your appointment, you will receive a call from a nurse, who will review your questionnaire and provide a deeper overview of the process. Any questions you might have can be answered during this time. Finally, you will meet with a nurse practitioner who will walk you through the instructions for taking the medication. On the same day, the team will package and send out your two medications through a discreet FedEx package, which should arrive within 3-5 business days.
Eligibility and Requirements
A patient’s Last Menstrual Period (LMP) needs to be no more than 11 weeks ago at the time of taking mifepristone. To prepare for your appointment, ensure the following:
- Take a home pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy status.
- Ensure the date of your last menstrual period (LMP).
- Ensure you can be physically in the required state during your appointment and take both medications there.
- Have a valid address to which the medication can be sent.
Note that no patients will be scheduled if their LMP was more than 10 weeks and 1 day ago to account for shipping times. Throughout the process, you will have 24/7 access to an on-call nurse.
Abortion Service Options and Limits
| Service Type | Timeline Limit | Method Details |
|---|---|---|
| Telehealth Medication Abortion | Up to 11 weeks LMP | Mifepristone and misoprostol via mail |
| In-Office Medication Abortion | Up to 12 weeks LMP | FDA-approved pills (mifepristone/misoprostol) |
| Surgical Abortion | Up to 24 weeks LMP | Deep sleep sedation or local anesthetic |
Finding a Trusted Provider
Step 1 is finding a clinic or provider that is pre-screened, safe, legit, and right for you. You can find a clinic or abortion provider by going to any of these websites: ineedana.com, National Abortion Federation, or Planned Parenthood. It is a good idea to call different clinics and get an idea of what your options are, as cost, anesthesia, and available services will be different.
Be advised to avoid centers that refuse to give a straightforward answer. There are some places out there that call themselves “clinics” but don’t actually perform abortions. These “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” are often anti-abortion and they will try to convince you not to have an abortion, often by giving you false, medically inaccurate information about the risks or costs of abortion. To protect yourself, trust your instincts and ensure the clinic is clean and the staff is knowledgeable.
Cost and Financial Assistance
While the cost may vary from patient to patient, this service is eligible for insurance coverage. If you plan on using insurance, please check with your insurance provider to determine your benefits for elective abortion and telehealth care. If you have any concerns about covering the cost of this service, you can reach out to a Patient Navigation team who will connect you with abortion care funds.