What to Know About Medication Abortion
After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, the ease of which someone can get an abortion mostly hinges on what state they live in. But while abortion bans completely stop in-clinic procedures in states that have implemented new rules, medication abortion remains an option in every state through the mail-order website Aid Access, which fills prescriptions at an overseas pharmacy.
Medication abortion typically consists of two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone has been in the spotlight and is the target of lawsuits against medication abortion because its sole approval is for ending pregnancies. Most recently, a lawsuit in Texas has challenged the US Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone and threatens to remove it from the US market. Even if it is eventually removed, however, medication abortions can still be done with misoprostol only, though they may be less effective or come with more side effects.
Many states have banned or placed heavy restrictions on medication abortion -- which now accounts for most abortions in the US. And the legal landscape around mifepristone is constantly shifting, which may impact where you're able to pick up a mifepristone prescription, even in states where there aren't abortion bans. But because medication abortions are done at home, and the second pill in the procedure will remain on the market even if the first is pulled, it remains an option even in the most restrictive states.
-snip-
What's the abortion pill?
The abortion pill actually consists of two medicines, taken one after the other, that are used to terminate a pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol. According to Planned Parenthood, the pill is recommended for up to 11 weeks of pregnancy. After 11 weeks, the side effects of the pill, like cramping, nausea and chills, may be more intense.
-more-
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/what-to-know-about-medication-abortion/ar-AAZz2u9
