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Washington Post Examines Medication Abortion In U.S.

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 23 Jan 2008 - 12:00 PDT

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The Washington Post on Tuesday, the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, examined how medication abortion -- also known mifepristone, Mifeprex or RU-486 -- has become an "increasingly common alternative" to surgical abortion in the U.S. and has made the procedure "less clinical and more private."

The number of medication abortions in the U.S. has increased 22% annually since mifepristone was approved by FDA in 2000. The procedure now accounts for 14% of all abortions performed nationwide and more than 20% of abortions performed prior to nine weeks' gestation, the Post reports. According to Danco Laboratories, which sells the drug, more than 840,000 U.S. women have used mifepristone since it was approved.

Approval of mifepristone also has helped "slow the decline in abortion providers" because some physicians who previously did not provide surgical abortions will prescribe the drug, the Post reports. The number of abortion providers fell by 2% from 1994 to 2005 but would have decreased by 8% without mifepristone, according to the Guttmacher Institute. More than 50% of abortion providers offer mifepristone, a 70% increase from the first half of 2001, according to Guttmacher. Some abortion providers report that mifepristone accounts for 10% of all abortions they perform, while for others it constitutes a much greater percentage of abortions they perform. Lawrence Finer, director of domestic research at Guttmacher, said he believes that the percentage of U.S. medication abortions will continue to increase, noting that more than 60% of abortions in some European countries are performed using medication.

According to the Post, the increase in mifepristone use is "alarming" to some abortion-rights opponents. Randall O'Bannon of the National Right to Life Committee said the increase "troubles" him and cited reports of women who used the drug and later died. "The idea that doctors are beginning to offer something that has a record of causing some serious problems is very troubling," O'Bannon said.

According to the Post, abortion-rights supporters say that the drug is safe and that it is unclear whether the complications were related to the drug. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said mifepristone "gives women another safe and effective way to terminate a pregnancy." Beth Jordan, medical director of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, said that the "impact and the promise" of mifepristone "is huge," adding, "It's going a long way towards normalizing abortion" (Stein, Washington Post, 1/22).

Newspapers Cover Roe Anniversary

Several newspapers recently published articles in recognition of the 35th anniversary of Roe on Tuesday. Headlines appear below. Broadcast Coverage

Three broadcast programs reported on issues related to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Summaries appear below. Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2007 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.




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