Expansion of a direct-to-patient telemedicine abortion service in the United States and experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To present updated evidence on the safety, efficacy and acceptability of a direct-to-patient telemedicine abortion service and describe how the service functioned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study design

We offered the study at 10 sites that provided the service in 13 states and Washington DC. Interested individuals obtained any needed preabortion tests locally and had a videoconference with a study clinician. Sites sent study packages containing mifepristone and misoprostol by mail and had remote follow-up consultations within one month by telephone (or by online survey, if the participant could not be reached) to evaluate abortion completeness. The analysis was descriptive.

Results

We mailed 1390 packages between May 2016 and September 2020. Of the 83% (

SUBMITTER: Chong E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9748604 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature