The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion Care
Medication abortion, also known as medical abortion or abortion with pills, is an FDA approved pregnancy termination protocol that involves taking two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, for use up to the first 70 days (10 weeks) of pregnancy. Studies show that medication abortion care is safe and effective. This information highlights data and policies regarding the availability and effectiveness of medication abortion in the United States.
Statistics and Accessibility
Medication abortion accounts for more than half (54%) of all abortions before nine weeks gestation in the United States. The following data summarizes the current landscape:
- Approved timeframe: Up to the first 70 days (10 weeks) of pregnancy.
- Usage: Accounts for 54% of all abortions before nine weeks gestation.
- Protocol: Involves two different drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol).
The Impact of Telemedicine and FDA Regulations
On April 12, 2021 , the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research notified the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) that they are suspending enforcement of the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) requirement for mifepristone that requires prescribers to dispense to patients in-person during the COVID-19 emergency. This temporarily allows providers in the 32 states and DC that do not have laws that otherwise ban this practice to dispense mifepristone using the telehealth protocol for medication abortion.
Future Policy and Federal Oversight
The FDA has also undertaken a full review of the REMS for mifepristone and the results of that review are expected later in 2021. This ongoing review is critical to understanding the intersection of state and federal policies on access to medication abortion via telehealth after Dobbs, as well as medication abortion and telemedicine: innovations and barriers during the COVID-19 emergency.