A Kentucky woman, Melinda S Spencer, was charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing her own abortion with medication and burying the remains, highlighting ongoing legal and criminal issues surrounding self-managed abortions and pregnancy outcomes in the US.
A network of women and activists across Latin America has transformed access to safe, self-managed abortions through the dissemination of information and support systems, notably using misoprostol, a drug originally for stomach ulcers, which has become a key tool in circumventing legal restrictions and empowering women to control their reproductive health.
A study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests that abortion medications may be safe and effective even after the first trimester of pregnancy. The study, based on the experiences of 264 women in Argentina, Nigeria, and a Southeast Asian country where abortion is illegal, found that the majority of women were able to end their pregnancies with abortion medications, including those who took only one drug instead of the standard two-drug regimen. The findings provide reassurance for women seeking self-managed medication abortions, particularly as access to clinic-based abortion care becomes more limited due to state-level bans. The research also highlights the potential for alternative paths to medication abortion if access to certain drugs is restricted.