Contraceptive Technology Update – May 1, 2022
May 1, 2022
View Issues
-
Self-Managed Abortions Becoming More Important as Post-Roe Era Looms
More states are passing highly restrictive anti-abortion legislation that will lead more people to seek abortions out of state or that are self-managed. Advance provision of medication abortion pills is one way to empower women to make their own decisions in the privacy of their homes.
-
Reducing Barriers to Self-Managed Abortion Care
Self-managed abortion care could be far cheaper and easier to obtain than it is now in the United States, with legal barriers such as state laws banning mail-order abortion pills and the federal rule that still prevents pharmacies from selling mifepristone and misoprostol. -
Study of Online Searches for Abortion Revealed High Rate of Self-Managed Abortion
People who face barriers to abortion care are more likely to attempt self-managed abortion, including taking actions that may be harmful physically, according to the results of a recent study. The findings are particularly relevant as an increasing number of American women have little or no access to safe and legal abortions in their communities or states. -
Study: Screening Patients for History/Risk Is Safe, Effective for Medication Abortion
New research with data from 3,779 patients who obtained medication abortions revealed that providers could safely eliminate screening with ultrasonography and/or pelvic examination. Simply using their clinic’s history screening questions about pregnancy duration and ectopic pregnancy risk was enough to ensure safety and efficacy of medication abortions. -
Patients Experienced Contraceptive Access Barriers During Early Pandemic
Half of people capable of becoming pregnant reported difficulty accessing contraception in June and July 2020. Most attributed their delays to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study of 1,525 New York state residents revealed. -
Patients’ Decisions on Contraceptives Are Fluid and Can Change Within Months
Contraception decisions rarely are consistent, especially when patients undergo a major life change, such as giving birth to their first child, new data show. These findings reinforce the idea that contraceptive counseling should be a dynamic and fluid process.