Study finds telemedicine abortions are safe and effective

According to a new study in Iowa, offering the abortion pill (mifepristone, or RU-486) remotely has just as an effective outcome as offering it through an in-person visit, including a high satisfaction level of their experience:

Three-quarters of patients who choose that option said they did not prefer having the doctor in the room during the procedure that allows physicians to remotely supervise administration of the pregnancy-ending drug RU-486.

Ninety-four percent of the women who chose telemedicine reported that they were “very satisfied” with the procedure, and researchers found that women who received “virtual” counseling had no more complications than those who had office visits, according to the new report published in the latest edition of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

But despite the fact that this method has become increasingly popular, five states has already banned abortion through telemedicine — Arizona, Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska and Tennessee. And now, the lovely Rep. I-teach-children-about-the-sins-of-abortion Steve King is trying to ban the method in Iowa by attaching the amendment to an agricultural bill that passed the House last month. (He calls them “robo-abortions.” Amazing.)

So why is this such a ridiculously important issue? Because 88% of counties in the U.S. have no identifiable abortion provider. This make telemedicine abortions a life-changer for many, many people who would otherwise have to travel hundreds of miles for the procedure. In other words, it gives them a choice they didn’t have otherwise.