Dear John,
These days here at Ms., we’re holding our breath along with reproductive rights and justice policy advocates, activists, and women everywhere. It’s June — and the Supreme Court is expected to issue its final ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization any day now.
With the ruling, we will enter a new age of abortion restrictions in the U.S. — one that will have a profound impact on the lives of millions of women and girls. Half the states will soon try to severely restrict or outright ban abortion.
But even if the Supreme Court overturns or severely weakens Roe v. Wade – as we expect – the landscape of abortion access will be wildly different today than it was prior to 1973 when Roe was decided.
That’s because abortion will remain legal and accessible in many states, with some having moved decisively to strengthen abortion rights and access.
And because of the availability of medication abortion.
Nowadays, over half of abortions performed in the U.S. are done with medication abortion, which the FDA approved in 2000 for use in terminating an early pregnancy (through 70 days pregnancy). Medication abortion uses two medications — mifepristone, which interrupts the flow of hormones that sustain the pregnancy; and misoprostol, which causes contractions to expel the contents of the uterus.
And while states have differing laws around medication abortion, thanks to telemedicine and online providers who are dedicated to ensuring access, medication abortion is available by mail no matter where you are in the U.S.
“It’s safer than many of the painkillers that you can buy in any pharmacy or drugstore,” Dutch physician and medication abortion pioneer Dr. Rebecca Gomperts told Ms.’s Carrie Baker. “The reason why it’s not [available over the counter] has to do with politics and not medical science.”
Dr. Gomperts, who runs Aid Access which provides online consultation for abortion pills by mail, also remarked that in the face of a Roe repeal, advance provision medication abortion could be a life saver for many women: “Especially in states where abortion is getting harder and harder to access, it really benefits women’s health if they already have the medicines available when they find out they’re pregnant.”
A note of caution: there have been some instances of states prosecuting women for self-managing their abortions with medication abortion pills. If/When/How’s Repro Legal Helpline has been established to answer questions, and is free and available at 844.868.2812.
If you’re interested in medication abortion, how it works, and more, Ms. has you covered — click here to learn more.
As we await this crucial Supreme Court decision, we can promise that we’ll continue to bring you the latest from the front lines of the battle for abortion access.
