How abortion providers are planning for a ruling that could force mifepristone off the market
The ruling in a lawsuit out of Texas seeking to reverse FDA approval of mifepristone is expected as soon as this week. If Trump-appointed District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk rules in favor of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the far-right group bringing the suit, mifepristone could be forced off the market and clinics’ capacities could significantly fall.
The Trust Women clinic in Wichita, Kansas — where abortion is currently legal up to 21 weeks —already gets more than 16,000 calls a day and is booking out weeks ahead. If the clinic is forced to stop providing abortion pills, its capacity will be greatly reduced. Aspiration abortions must be done in person and (although the procedure takes only minutes), appointments can be more than three hours long — three times longer than medical abortion appointments. Ashley Brink, the clinic director of Trust Women, said the clinic would only be able to serve a fraction of their current patient load if they could only provide aspiration abortions.
SOURCE: Ms Magazine, by Phoebe Kolbert, 2/21/2023 ; PHOTO in Mother Jones, by Sue Ogrocki, AP, Oklahoma Trust Women clinic sign, 2022
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What the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline reveals about abortion care after Roe
Linda Prine, a physician and co-founder of the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline, describes the new realities for patients in states where the procedure is banned.
SOURCE: Vox.com, by Marin Cogan, Victoria Chamberlin, 6 February 2023
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‘Plan C’ film: Timely documentary examines abortion solutions in post-Roe America
Tracy Droz Tragos’ no-frills film, shown at the Sundance Film Festival 2023, centres on the healthcare professionals and volunteers seeking to ensure easy access to abortion pills in restrictive US states and the practicalities of ensuring access to abortion in a system stacked against the idea in some states.
SOURCE: Variety, by Guy Lodge, 16 February 2023
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Military to cover travel costs and offer leave for troops seeking abortions or fertility treatment
Service women will soon be able to have their travel expenses paid and receive up to three weeks of leave to obtain an abortion out of state if required or receive fertility treatments. They will also have up to 20 weeks to notify their commands that they are pregnant, according to three new Defense Department policies, designed to improve access to reproductive health care and abortion services. These clarify a memo published in October 2022 by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directing the service branches to ensure that their members could access abortions and reproductive health care that isn’t covered by military healthcare.
SOURCE: Military.com, by Patricia Kime, 16 February 2023