Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Abortion Pill Safety
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in a consequential case that could impact access to medication abortion. The case, brought by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, challenges the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, one of the drugs used in medication abortion.
Measuring Safety: ER Visits vs. Serious Adverse Events
During the arguments, justices focused on the number of emergency room visits following mifepristone use and whether the FDA’s recent loosening of regulations on the drug has led to an increase in these visits. However, experts argue that ER visits are not the best measure of the drug’s safety.
“I think ER visits are definitely the wrong measure when looking at safety. It’s important to recognize that the vast majority of people that go to the emergency room are going just for reassurance rather than a true safety concern.”
According to Michael Belmonte, an ob-gyn and fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the more important measure is serious adverse events, which are extremely rare with medication abortion. These events include hospital admission, blood transfusion, infection, and death. A 2013 peer-reviewed study found that, among 233,805 medication abortions provided in 2009 and 2010, significant adverse events or outcomes were reported in less than 1 percent of cases.
Understanding the Abortion Pill Regimen
It’s important to note that the abortion pill regimen, which consists of mifepristone and misoprostol, is designed to cause bleeding and cramping. While these effects may be concerning to some patients, they are a sign that the medication is working as intended.
Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the UC San Francisco who studies medication abortion, explains that many patients who visit an emergency department after a medication abortion are seeking reassurance about the bleeding they are experiencing or confirmation that the medications worked.
Distance Traveled and ER Visits
Research published by Upadhyay in 2017 suggests that greater distance traveled to obtain a medication abortion may influence the likelihood of ER visits. This is likely because patients who live farther from abortion clinics or reproductive health clinics may not have easy access to providers who can answer their questions.
Risks of Medication Abortion vs. Childbirth
Jack Resnick, immediate past president of the American Medical Association, emphasized in a recent statement that the risk of complications from medication abortion is extremely low, and the risk of death is nearly nonexistent. In comparison, the risk of death during or after childbirth is approximately 14 times higher than the risk of death from abortion-related complications.
The Question of Standing
Ultimately, the Supreme Court’s decision may depend on whether the plaintiffs have “standing” to bring the case to the court. The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine argues that physicians could be harmed by treating patients who suffer adverse health effects after taking mifepristone. Much of the justices’ questioning focused on whether this group had proven such harm. If the justices find that the plaintiffs do not have standing, the case would be dismissed. The court is expected to rule by the end of June.
2 Comments
Fear and misinformation often lead to unnecessary ER visits after taking an abortion pill, let’s spread the truth!
Misconceptions and panic play a big role, time to debunk myths and ease minds.