Self-Managed Abortions on the Rise in the US
A Growing Trend
A recent medical study indicated that more women in the US are ending pregnancies without medical supervision. The percentage of people who say they’ve tried to end a pregnancy without medical assistance increased after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. According to a study published in the online journal JAMA Network Open, this trend is on the rise.
Reasons for Self-Managed Abortions
Abortion is almost entirely illegal in Tennessee, and Tia Freeman, a reproductive health organizer, leads workshops for Tennesseans on how to safely take medication abortion pills outside of medical settings. People planning to stop pregnancies have all sorts of reasons for wanting to do so without help from the formal health care system — including the cost of traveling to another state, challenge of finding child care, and fear of lost wages.
“Some people, it’s that they don’t have the support networks in their families where they would need to have someone drive them to a clinic and then sit with them,” said Freeman, who works for Self-Managed Abortion; Safe and Supported, a U.S.-based project of Women Help Women, an international nonprofit that advocates for abortion access.
“Maybe their family is superconservative, and they would rather get the pills in their home and do it by themselves,” she said.
New Study Reveals Trends
The new study is from Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, a research group based at the University of California-San Francisco. The researchers surveyed more than 7,000 people ages 15 to 49 from December 2021 to January 2022 and another 7,000-plus from June 2023 to July 2023.
Of the respondents who had attempted self-managed abortions, they found the percentage who used the abortion pill mifepristone was 11 in 2023 — up from 6.6 before the Supreme Court ended federal abortion rights in 2022.
Conclusion
Self-managed abortions are a growing trend in the US, driven by a desire for privacy and autonomy. While some may view this trend as concerning, it’s important to note that self-managed abortions using medication abortion are far safer, whether done inside or outside the health care system. As the debate around abortion rights continues, it’s crucial to prioritize access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare.
FAQs
Q: Why are more women opting for self-managed abortions?
A: Many women are seeking self-managed abortions due to privacy concerns, lack of access to healthcare services, and fear of judgment or discrimination.
Q: Are self-managed abortions safe?
A: Yes, self-managed abortions using medication abortion are safe and effective. According to OB-GYN Laura Laursen, they involve passing a pregnancy and bleeding, which is what happens when you have a miscarriage. If your body doesn’t have a miscarriage on its own, these are actually the medications we give women to pass the miscarriage.
Q: How can women access self-managed abortion services?
A: Women can access self-managed abortion services through online resources, phone hotlines, and local reproductive health organizations. However, it’s important to note that self-managed abortions are not legal in all states, and women should exercise caution when accessing these services.