Abortion by Medication in the US: 5 Important Facts to Know

A draft ruling revealed by the Supreme Court last week clearly implies that most of the court is prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. This precedent has existed for over half a century and recognizes the constitutional right to abortion.

As a result, extending access to safe abortion in every possible manner is more critical than ever. The primary strategy to increase access to safe abortion is to make it easier to get abortion drugs. Mifepristone and then misoprostol, both authorized by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA), are required to perform a medication abortion. These drugs are to be given orally, 24 to 48 hours apart from one another. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the use of pharmaceutical abortion up to ten weeks into a pregnancy.
The following are five essential facts regarding having an abortion using medication:

1. Abortion with medication is both relatively common and very safe

According to the findings of several studies, pharmaceutical abortion is not only very efficient but also extraordinarily safe; in fact, it has far less severe dangers than taking Tylenol. It is also a regular occurrence. More than four million women in the United States have used pharmaceutical abortion with Mifepristone and Misoprostol since it was licensed by the FDA more than two decades ago. By 2020, medication-induced abortions will account for more than half of all abortions performed in the United States.

2. Abortion pills that are medication may be ordered online or in the mail

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an exhaustive evaluation of the tablets’ safety before granting permission for doctors to prescribe them over the phone or online and for patients to receive their drugs in the mail. Patients may get the medication from their treating clinicians, or they can order it from an internet pharmacy and have it delivered to their homes.

Telehealth, which refers to communication between patients and providers over the phone or through the use of a digital platform, is an essential tool for expanding access to all types of care, including abortion. It is a blessing for many people in the United States who are of reproductive age but do not live near an abortion clinic. Nearly forty percent of all women in the United States now call a county home that does not have an abortion provider. Most people who seek abortion treatment are mothers, and most patients have childcare responsibilities, employment commitments, and/or financial strains. As a result, the expenses of traveling significant distances for abortion care may be prohibitive for many patients.

3. Abortion drugs provide women the ability to terminate their pregnancies sooner and in more secrecy than ever before

Abortion with medicine, which is often more convenient in terms of scheduling, may make it possible for a woman to terminate her pregnancy earlier. In addition, given that women may take the drugs at home, medication abortion enables patients to safely complete their pregnancies in an environment where they are comfortable and can get support from their loved ones.

The World Health Organization (WHO), supported by extensive research, has affirmed that with the appropriate information, guidance, and support, medication abortion can be safely managed without clinician involvement. Often referred to as self-managed abortion, medication abortion occurs when laws prevent people from accessing abortion through the conventional health care system. This finding underscores the safety of at-home medication abortion and lends credence to the protection of at-home medication abortion.

4. Efforts are being made to restrict access to abortion drugs

Even though it is well-established that medication abortion is safe and effective, some states are overriding the FDA’s determination about how it can be used. These states are enacting medically damaging and unnecessary laws, limiting who can prescribe the medication, where it can be dispensed, and whether or not it can be mailed. To this point, in 2022, there have been 22 state legislatures that have proposed some kind of restriction on the use of pharmaceutical abortion.

Already, 19 states have passed legislation that makes it illegal to provide abortion medicines or services through telemedicine. These restrictions are a part of a larger pattern among anti-abortion lawmakers, who appear encouraged by the United States Supreme Court’s apparent openness to reconsidering Roe v. Wade and its willingness to allow Texas’ six-week ban to stand, even though it includes a Constitution-defying vigilante enforcement scheme. These lawmakers are seeking to restrict access to abortion to prevent women from accessing the procedure.

5. Policymakers can guarantee that a more significant number of individuals have access to care

Despite the dangers, it is still feasible to make progress. The following are three of the most critical areas in which policymakers need to take immediate action to broaden and defend access to abortion by medication.

Make sure the cost of care is reasonable.

Because it is a kind of medical treatment, abortion ought to be funded by insurance companies. As a result of the Hyde Amendment, the provision of abortion services is excluded from coverage by federal health insurance programs such as Medicaid. A person serving in the military, volunteering for the Peace Corps, or working for the federal government is not allowed to have an abortion, except in situations where the pregnancy results from rape, incest, or presents a danger to the pregnant person’s life. The Hyde Amendment has to be repealed, but in the meanwhile, states have a legal duty to ensure that they provide coverage for abortions that are allowed under the Hyde Amendment.

Increasing insurance coverage for persons who have privately purchased health insurance is also necessary to make abortion more accessible. At this time, private insurance coverage for abortion is restricted or prohibited in eleven states, while the range is restricted or prohibited in twenty-five states for marketplace health plans. Only 16 states allow residents to use their state Medicaid plans to pay for abortions deemed medically necessary, and of those 16, nine only do so in response to a court order.

Make it a point to prevent individuals from being punished for having abortions.

After being accused of self-managing their abortions, certain women have been subjected to arrest and criminal charges in some jurisdictions. These states include: The most recent instance of this may have occurred in Texas when a lady 26 years old was detained, charged with murder, and jailed on a bail of $500,000 for having an abortion. After it was determined that the authorities lacked the legal jurisdiction to prosecute the lady, the charges were, fortunately, dismissed. Steve, the fact that the arrest was made at all points to the probability of persons being prosecuted in the future — particularly if legal standards continue to vary in the states and produce uncertainty on the ground.

This is especially true in light of the fact that the arrest occurred. Persons of color and people with low incomes are disproportionately exposed to the possibility of being criminalized. No one should face criminal charges due to their choices about their health care or the results of their pregnancies.

Make it such that politicians can’t ignore what the most acceptable science and medicine have to say.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) exhausts an evaluation procedure. Its clearance serves as the conclusive government assessment of a medication’s suitability for use by the population it is intended for. Politicians opposed to abortion should not be permitted to ignore the findings of scientific studies or implement onerous regulations that run counter to the FDA’s assessment of the situation.

The Supreme Court of the United States seems to be on the verge of surrendering its role in preserving the constitutional right to abortion, which results in an increased necessity for politicians to do so.

Ordering Abortion Pills in the USA

You can order Abortion Pills online in our Pharmacy with free delivery to the US.