Self-managed abortion with pills: Access, experience, and quality information
Self-managed abortion with pills is expanding access, but people still face misinformation, inconsistent counseling, and uneven availability. These studies give advocates evidence to strengthen pharmacy and community access while pushing for safeguards like accurate counseling, pharmacist training, and clear referral pathways.
In India, a trend analysis shows a substantial increase in self-managed abortion (SMA) with pills between 2014 and 2021 and demonstrates the transformative power of SMA in increasing access to safe and effective abortion: The transformative terrain: An in-depth analysis of trends in self-managed abortion in India using NFHS-5 national data
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, research shows that misoprostol was available in less than 50% of pharmacies and mifepristone and misoprostol in less than 2% of surveyed sites. Mystery client interactions reveal that most pharmacists need training on medication abortion counseling and regimens: Quality of information on medication abortion in private pharmacies: Results from a mystery client study in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
In Ethiopia, a pilot study on SMA through private pharmacies demonstrates high demand from women and interest from pharmacies in providing women with medication abortion, but Ethiopia’s legal framework presents challenges to a pharmacy-based model: Increasing access to self-managed abortion through pharmacies: programmatic results and lessons from a pilot program in Oromia, Ethiopia
In Cambodia, an exploration of women’s SMA experiences reveals that young women’s success rates were comparable to those of adult women, and they generally had better experiences than their older counterparts. Young women were more likely to seek support from family and friends, highlighting the important role of social support and the need for accurate information on abortion to be disseminated at the community level: Comparing medical abortion outcomes and experiences between young and adult women: Evidence from urban Cambodia
Using data from Cambodia and Ghana, Ipas authors compare the SMA information and counselling provided by pharmacists to women with that provided by a health provider at a clinic. While pharmacists and clinic-based providers focused on different aspects of SMA counseling, results indicate that both cadres would benefit from training to ensure their clients receive the best information and counseling possible: Assessing information and counselling provision for medical abortion care in pharmacies versus clinics: Secondary analysis of two non-inferiority cohort studies
link
