Abortion pill mifepristone: An explainer and research roundup about its history, safety and future

With abortion-related measures on the ballot in several states, journalistic coverage of the topic has never been more crucial. This piece aims to help inform the narrative on medication abortion with scientific evidence and research roundup about its history, safety and future.

Understanding Medication Abortion

Medication abortion is also known as abortion with pills or medical abortion. It is important for journalists covering abortion to have a good understanding of medication abortion so that they can better inform their audiences. Below, we explain what medication abortion is, how individuals access it, and what research shows about its safety and effectiveness.

The following standards and endorsements currently guide the use of the medication:

• The Food and Drug Administration has approved medication abortion for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and the World Health Organization authorizes its use for up to 12 weeks.
• Medication abortion can also be used beyond 12 weeks of pregnancy, according to several organizations including the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
• It is endorsed by several organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists and the American Medical Association.

Legal Challenges and Supreme Court Rulings

The legal future of mifepristone had hung in the balance for several months. In August 2023, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that mifepristone should not be prescribed past the seventh week of pregnancy, prescribed via telemedicine, or shipped to patients through the mail. In September, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to consider a challenge to that ruling.

On June 13, the Supreme Court justices in a unanimous decision preserved access to mifepristone, a medication that’s used for the safe termination of early pregnancy, writing that “federal courts are the wrong forum for addressing the plaintiffs’ concerns about FDA’s actions.” This piece was updated on June 13, 2024 to reflect the recent Supreme Court decision about access to mifepristone, and to highlight new research on medication abortion.

Research on Media Coverage and Public Discourse

A recent analysis of more than 1,100 articles, published between January 2022 and June 2023 in five major U.S. news outlets, finds that "while U.S. newspapers are treating the topic of abortion in general and medication abortion access in particular as serious policy issues, they are under-covering medication abortion considering its prevalence as the leading abortion method in the U.S., and its importance to abortion seekers."

In addition, politicians and lawyers were quoted more than healthcare providers; less than half of the articles included basic facts on medication abortion; and only one in five articles included a personal story of someone seeking abortion, according to the study, published in Sexuality Research and Social Policy in June 2025.

Current Political Landscape

Meanwhile, abortion is on the ballot in four states this year so far. Measures have also been proposed in several other states, with initiatives that aim to ban, restrict, or expand abortion rights. (State laws that ban abortion apply to both abortion medications and surgical procedures.)