Abortion Pills: Access, Safety, and Legal Challenges in the U.S.

Abortion pills are 87-99% effective and many Americans use the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol. The success rate of abortion depends on the time and dosage of the pill. Even with abortion restrictions in the states, Americans get abortion pills by mail. “Taking abortion pills at home is safe. However, policies restrict people from accessing reproductive health care,” says Robin Wallace, MD, MAS, medical advisor of family planning standards at Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

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How to Access Abortion Pills Safely

The abortion pills can be a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol or misoprostol alone. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone to stop a pregnancy, while misoprostol causes contractions and bleeding to empty the uterus (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
How Long Do Abortion Pills Last?

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The shelf-life of mifepristone is five years and misoprostol is two years. Prescriptions are mandatory to access abortion pills. The non-profit organization Plan C helps find information about accessing abortion medications.

AidAccess is another non-profit organization that helps to get a prescription for abortion pills in all 50 states of the US for $150 or less. With the help of telehealth, people living in states that ban abortion can get prescriptions for abortion pills through clinicians working in states where abortion is legal.

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When to Use Abortion Pills

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mifepristone in combination with misoprostol can be used till the 10th week of pregnancy. However, some experts say medication abortion is safe for up to 15 weeks.

Both abortion pills are safe and effective as millions of people have used them for decades to end early pregnancies safely. The medications neither cause any complications nor affect future pregnancies. However, they can cause allergic reactions, infections, blood clots in the uterus, or excessive bleeding.

In rare cases, the abortion may not be successful, or some tissues may remain in the uterus. It is recommended to get help from a healthcare provider if there is no bleeding within 24 hours of taking the pill or if there is heavy bleeding, large clots, fever, or persistent cramps even after taking pain relief medications.

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Abortion Pill Access and Project 2025

Getting abortion pills online is still a concern because of Trump’s administration and Project 2025 - a conservative policy agenda to enforce the Comstock Act of 1873. It is a 19th-century law that restricts the distribution of “obscene” material or “any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of conception or procuring an abortion.”

Enforcing this act could potentially ban the mailing of abortion medications nationwide, even in states where abortion is legal and protected. AidAccess may help in getting abortion pills and store for the future.

While having this medication on hand is important for some people, stockpiling the pills can lead to shortages. This might make it harder for people already struggling to get reproductive health and abortion care, according to Perron-Burdick.

“Each individual needs to assess their own needs for this medication in a way that is hopefully very thoughtful and not driven by panic,” Perron-Burdick said.

Reference:

1. How Long Do Abortion Pills Last? - (https://womenhelp.org/en/page/1510/how-long-do-abortion-pills-last)

Source-Medindia