The Rise and Safety of Medication Abortion Post-Roe v. Wade
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is putting a spotlight on abortion pills. “Medication abortion has opened up the options for individuals who are in need of abortion care,” Dr. Jen Villavicencio with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said.
Understanding the Procedure and FDA Approval
Instead of having a surgical procedure, medication abortion is a method to end pregnancy by taking a combination of pills approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The clinical process involves the following:
- The first pill: It is called mifepristone.
- The second pill: It is called misoprostol.
- Timeframe: The FDA says both are safe and effective up to 11 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period.
Clinical Safety and Online Sourcing
Regarding its safety profile, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, director of Women on Waves, stated: “It’s extremely safe. It’s safer than Viagra. It’s safer than most of the over-the-counter painkillers, for example.” In addition, Dr. Meera Shah, a family medicine physician and chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, says that getting medication and abortion pills online is safe if the pills are sourced from reputable outlets.
Increased Demand via Telehealth
Following the high court’s ruling, Hey Jane, a telehealth organization that delivers medication abortion pills in some states, says the average patient demand has more than doubled compared to last month. A similar organization, Aid Access, says demand began growing in May when the Supreme Court draft opinion was leaked. “We have seen an incredible increase of the request for help. People are really, really scared,” Gomperts said.
Political Landscape and Future Challenges
Some anti-abortion advocates say the next battle over abortion rights might be over access to these abortion pills. Some Republican governors are already signaling that they will take action to block access to abortion pills. For instance, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said, “We don’t believe it should be available, because it is a dangerous situation for those individuals.”