What is “self-managed” abortion?
Abortion advocates use the term “self-managed abortion” to refer to an abortion performed outside a medical context, either on one’s own or with the assistance of non-medical personnel, typically with the use of abortion drugs ordered online. Self-managed abortion is becoming increasingly common, with one study showing that over 57,000 individuals in the U.S. requested mifepristone and misoprostol from one online provider over a two-year period.
See also How is a medication abortion performed?
Sources:
Aiken, Abigail MD et al. “Factors Associated With Use of an Online Telemedicine Service to Access Self-managed Medical Abortion in the US.” JAMA Network Open, May 21, 2021. Accessed October 19, 2023. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780272.