What is medication abortion and how can you access it in Massachusetts?
What is medication abortion?
Medication abortion is a safe, effective, and FDA-approved way to end a pregnancy. As of 2021, medication abortion accounts for more than half of all abortions nationwide, and nearly 50% of all abortions in Massachusetts. Medication abortion is non-invasive and involves taking two different medications to end a pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol. Most often, you take a mifepristone pill first, followed by misoprostol pills 24 to 48 hours later.
The FDA has approved the use of medication abortion up to 70 days, or 10 weeks, after the first day of a person’s last menstrual period. Medication abortion has been FDA-approved for over 20 years.
Medication abortion should not be confused with emergency contraception, which is used to prevent pregnancy. Medication abortion is used to end a pregnancy.
How can you access medication abortion?
Following the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, the process for receiving medication abortion can differ from state to state depending on abortion restrictions. In 2021, the FDA lifted restrictions on mifepristone that required the medication to be prescribed in person, opening the door for the prevalence of medication abortion via telehealth. In Massachusetts, you can access abortion pills through an in-person appointment with a provider, or consult with a provider through telehealth and have pills mailed to your home.
Abortion pills can cost anywhere from $40 to $600 or more. If you are planning to use insurance, fully-insured plans in Massachusetts are required to cover the cost of abortion and abortion-related care.
Visit Plan C or carafem to learn more about how to access medication abortion through telehealth.
To find an abortion provider near you, visit Reproductive Equity Now’s New England Abortion Care Guide.
What should you expect when obtaining medication abortion?
Abortion pills block pregnancy hormones (mifepristone) and cause cramping and bleeding (misoprostol). Symptoms are similar to a miscarriage. You can expect a few hours of heavy bleeding and cramping and several days of lighter bleeding.
To prepare for taking abortion pills at home, abortionfinder.org recommends gathering the following supplies in advance:
A heating pad
Comfortable clothes, including comfy underwear
Super absorbent maxi pads
A blanket in case of chills
Ice chips and/or popsicles to suck on in case of nausea or vomiting
Easily digestible food like plain crackers, white rice, bananas, broth, and plain white bread
Something distracting, like movies, tv, magazines, coloring books, or video games
A friend or other support person to help, if needed
Medication abortion versus in-clinic abortion
Medication Abortion
Medication abortion can be used up to 70 days, or 10 weeks, after the first day of a person’s last menstrual period.
Medication abortion can be done in the comfort of your own home at a time that works best for you. You can have a loved one there with you while having a medication abortion.
Medication abortion does not require routine follow-up visits.
Medication abortion is effective 87-99% of the time. If the pills fail, you have the option to try the pills again or have a procedure.
It takes longer for the abortion to finish happening with the abortion pill than with an abortion procedure, and the discomfort or pain can last several hours.
In-Clinic Abortion
There are two types of in-clinic abortion procedures:
Suction abortion (also called vacuum aspiration) is the most common type of in-clinic abortion. It uses gentle suction to empty your uterus. It’s usually used until about 14-16 weeks after your last period.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) is another kind of in-clinic abortion procedure. It uses suction and medical tools to empty your uterus. You can get a D&E later in a pregnancy than aspiration abortion -- usually if it has been 16 weeks or longer since your last period.
The abortion procedure happens all in one place, in a clinic or hospital.
Abortion procedures are 98 to 99% effective.
You can be sedated during an abortion procedure.
Abortion procedures are quicker than medication abortion. If you’re not sedated, the painful part of the abortion usually only lasts five to ten minutes.
You usually can’t have anyone with you in the room during the abortion procedure.
Important to know:
For both forms of abortion, exact cost varies depending on where you go.
Neither form of abortion lowers your chances of getting pregnant or staying pregnant in the future.
How did we make medication abortion more accessible for college students?
Almost 50 percent of abortions in Massachusetts are medication abortion, and 600 to 1,380 Massachusetts college students obtain medication abortion each year. However, thousands of Massachusetts college students live in access deserts, regions where the closest abortion provider can be an hours-long drive away. Traveling for care often means missing class, an internship, family time, or a job.
That’s why Reproductive Equity Now worked to pass a law that would require Massachusetts public colleges and universities to provide access to or referrals for medication abortion where students are at: on college campuses. Learn more about our new law:
