The number of women turning to medication abortion outside of the formal health care system surged in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study.
Why it matters: The findings offer a fuller picture of the use of abortion pills following the court's decision to end federal abortion protections.
- The study also comes just as the Supreme Court is slated to hear oral arguments Tuesday in a case that could have far-reaching consequences for the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone.
State of play: Almost 28,000 more abortion pills were provided for self-managed abortions in the six months after the Dobbs ruling compared with pre-Dobbs levels, according to the study published Monday in JAMA.
- The numbers nearly offset decreases in abortions through the formal health care system during that time, which previous research pegs at 32,000.
Self-managed abortions are those done without the help of a doctor or nurse, according to Planned Parenthood.
- In these cases, patients may source abortion pills themselves, via volunteer networks or online websites. This allows patients in states with abortion bans to access to the pills.
The big picture: Medication abortion has steadily grown in popularity in recent years, accounting for 63% of U.S. abortions in 2023, the highest figure on record.
- Medication abortions facilitated via telehealth appointments rose during the pandemic and following the Dobbs decision.
- Yet the impending legal battle before the Supreme Court could prevent patients from using telemedicine appointments to acquire abortion pills and shorten the timeframe for mifepristone use.
Go deeper: How the Supreme Court could determine abortion pill access
