Telehealth abortions are as safe and effective as in-person, large study shows
Using abortion pills that are prescribed via telehealth is just as safe and effective as having the medication prescribed in person, the largest study of its kind suggests. The scientists behind the study say the finding could reassure patients who are skeptical about the safety and legitimacy of telehealth abortions and help meet the growing demand for accessible abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. Since that 2022 ruling, the safety of pills used in medication abortion — specifically, the drug mifepristone — has also been debated in state and federal appeals courts and will soon be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court . The new study underscores this drug's already-proven safety record. Medication abortions typically involve taking mifepristone and a second drug called misoprostol ; this method can be used up to 10 weeks gestation, or 70 days from the start of a person's last menstrual period. The new analysis included more than 6,000 pregnant...