Abortion pills are sold in retail pharmacies. Photo courtesy of Project Manhattan via Wikimedia Commons.
By Shira Sadeh ’25
Science & Environment Editor
On Jan. 3, the Food and Drug Administration announced a change in rules that will greatly increase the number of retail pharmacies that dispense abortion medication, AP News reported. According to the AP article, this change is an effort to make abortion more accessible, allowing those seeking abortion medication to receive a consultation via telehealth before picking up the prescription at a local retail pharmacy, provided that the pharmacy undergoes a certification process.
According to Planned Parenthood, abortion medication consists of two pills: mifepristone and misoprostol. The first, mifepristone, prevents the pregnancy from developing further and may cause side effects of nausea or bleeding, although Planned Parenthood states that bleeding is uncommon at this stage of the abortion. The second pill, misoprostol, is taken either immediately after or up to 48 hours following the first pill. This pill empties the uterus and causes heavy bleeding and cramping. “It’s normal to see large blood clots (up to the size of a lemon) or clumps of tissue when this is happening. It’s kind of like having a really heavy, crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage,” Planned Parenthood explained. The page went on to say that these side effects typically begin one to four hours after taking misoprostol. The bleeding typically lasts four to five hours, and cramping can continue for up to two days.
According to an article from the Guttmacher Institute, the FDA approved the use of mifepristone for the purpose of non-surgical abortion in 2000. Although it is currently approved to be used up to ten weeks of gestation, it has been used safely to terminate later-stage pregnancies. The article went on to explain that while several states have restrictions on its usage, courts have ruled that banning abortion medication “outright” is unconstitutional.
The closest Planned Parenthood center that offers abortion services is the Western Massachusetts Health Center in Springfield, MA. As of July 22, Mount Holyoke College Health Services stated that they offer counseling and referrals to students, but are unable to offer abortion medication themselves.