Do-It-Yourself Medication Abortion in the Age of the Internet

Globally, one of every four women faces significant abortion restrictions — and unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of maternal mortality. Mifepristone plus misoprostol can safely and effectively terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks' gestation. For over a decade, Women on Web has mailed pills to women seeking abortion in countries with restricted access. To assess adverse event rates, researchers analyzed data from 1636 Irish women who obtained mifepristone from this telehealth service between 2010 and 2012.

In all, 718 women were <7 weeks pregnant and 219 were 7 to 9 weeks pregnant when they requested abortion pills. After taking the pills (which arrived within 5 to 7 days), 93 women contacted the service because of concerns about sy…