A recently published peer-reviewed study in the United States confirms the effectiveness and safety of telehealth-mediated abortion, aligning with long-held assertions by abortion rights advocates.
The study, appearing in Nature Medicine, evaluates the outcomes of telehealth-prescribed mifepristone for terminating pregnancies across 20 states. Researchers found that 99.8% of the cases did not result in serious adverse events, with 97.7% successfully terminating pregnancy, affirming telehealth medication abortion as comparable to in-person care.
The California Home Abortion by Telehealth (CHAT) study examines the effectiveness and safety of telehealth abortion, a crucial response to increased demand in states where abortion is legal but access remains limited.
The study, spanning April 2021 to January 2022, follows pregnant individuals obtaining medication abortion via telehealth from virtual clinics across 20 states and Washington, DC.
Using standardized screening protocols, primarily based on medical history, the study assesses effectiveness (complete abortion without additional intervention) and safety (absence of serious adverse events).
Results indicate high effectiveness (97.7%) and safety (99.8%), with minimal serious adverse events (0.25%), ectopic pregnancies (0.16%), and emergency department visits (1.3%). Telehealth medication abortion proves effective, safe, and comparable to in-person care.
The study (Effectiveness and safety of telehealth medication abortion in the USA) which it’s release precedes an upcoming Supreme Court hearing regarding access to mifepristone, a crucial component of medication abortion, particularly via telehealth consultations and mail prescriptions.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA temporarily permitted remote approval and mail delivery of mifepristone, a decision made permanent in 2021. However, several states had already prohibited this practice, exacerbating the need for telehealth abortion care, especially after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which constrained in-person abortion services in remaining legal states.
Utilizing data from the California Home Abortion by Telehealth project, the study underscores the consistency of telehealth-mediated mifepristone’s effectiveness across diverse demographics.
With over 6,000 patients studied, hospital admissions following pill usage were rare, reaffirming the safety profile of mifepristone.
These findings challenge anti-abortion arguments against mifepristone’s safety, debunking claims of increased emergency room visits and highlighting the relative safety of abortion procedures compared to other medical interventions.
