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What do we know about #abortion telemedicine? We know qualitatively & quantitatively that:
1)Mean waiting periods were significantly shorter
2)Womxn accessed abortions in earlier gestations
3)Lower levels of complications
/1
1)Mean waiting periods were significantly shorter
2)Womxn accessed abortions in earlier gestations
3)Lower levels of complications
/1
4)Greater convenience as @Abortion_Rights highlight- womxn are able to consider everything else going on in their lives (*cough* in the middle of a pandemic *cough*), their commitments & responsibilities, when using abortion telemedicine. It’s care that *centres* womxn. /2
5) The centring of womxn is essential to safeguarding- allowing them control over their privacy & confidentiality; not requiring them to disclose to others because of the requirement of an in-clinic visit. It also reduces the amount of abortion stigma they’re exposed to. /3
6) Providers report they are able to better manage clinics, & continue service provision, even under constrained pandemic conditions (imagine when we aren’t under pandemic stress!)
7)Does telemedicine mean that you can’t have an in-clinic abortion anymore? NO.
Clinic-based care- including MVA- continue to be available & provided. Telemedicine enables in-person appointments for those who want them. /5
Clinic-based care- including MVA- continue to be available & provided. Telemedicine enables in-person appointments for those who want them. /5
Basically: #abortion telemedicine makes it more accessible, reduces delays in care, enables womxn’s decision-making & allows them to consider their own life circumstances, allows providers to off better; full-spectrum care, AND is SAFE. Make it permanent. https://heinivaisanen.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/ma-consultation-example-answers-final.pdf
Read @BPAS1968’ tireless work, incl their pills by post treatment report ( https://www.bpas.org/media/3385/bpas-pills-by-post-service.pdf- 80% of clients who expressed a preference would opt for having a telephone consultation & Pills by Post again! & their full response to consultation here: https://www.bpas.org/media/3423/england-ema-consultation-template-response-december-20.pdf
You can also see @Abortion_Rights’ work- including the handy e-mail your MP tool- https://abortionrights.org.uk/help-keep-telemedicine-email-your-mp-using-abortion-rights-tool-today/, and their consultation guidance: https://abortionrights.org.uk/home-use-consultation-guidance/
And @MSIchoices have a great summary of their response: https://www.msichoices.org.uk/news/uk-gov-telemedicine-consultation-our-response-and-recommendations/, & key points to bear in mind when responding to the consultation: https://www.msichoices.org.uk/news/help-us-make-abortion-telemedicine-permanent-how-to-respond-to-the-uk-gov-consultation/
And here Is a blog from Dr Jonathan Lord on the impact of telemedicine on @FSRH_UK: https://www.fsrh.org/blogs/medical-abortion-via-telemedicine--a-revolution-in-patient/
