Telemedicine Abortion Still Safe During the Pandemic

Share on Pinterest
Getty Images
  • A new study evaluated the health outcomes of 110 patients who received a medication abortion and found that 95 percent successfully completed their abortion at home.
  • The study reflects real-world data, which consistently suggests that medication abortions can be safely and effectively administered via telehealth.
  • Online medication abortions drastically expand accessibility, especially for people who have to travel long distances for abortion care.

Medication abortions conducted by telehealth are just as safe and effective as when the procedure is completed in-person at a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital, according to new research from the University of California, San Francisco.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open on August 24, evaluated the health outcomes of 110 patients who received a medication abortion. They found that 95 percent successfully completed their abortion at home without needing in-person medical care.

The findings offer some of the first data on the safety and efficacy of telehealth abortions conducted during the pandemic in the United States.

Though small, the study reflects real-world data, which consistently suggests medication abortions can be safely and effectively administered via telehealth services.

“This [study] shows that there is a way for patients to have early and easy access to providers even if an in-person visit is not possible. Patients should have access to abortion early, safely, and affordably,” Dr. Sarah Yamaguchi, a board certified gynecologist at DTLA Gynecology in Los Angeles told Healthline.

Source: healthline