Explainer Video: Medical Abortion via Telemedicine & Pharmacies

Access to reproductive healthcare is changing, with women increasingly accessing healthcare services outside of facility settings.

Evidence shows that a pharmacy is often a first port-of-call for many women in low and middle-income countries and medical abortions via this route can be just as safe as in-facility services, if women are provided with a quality product, sufficient guidance on how to self-administer the product, and contact details for onward facility-based support, if needed.

Meanwhile, data from MSI Reproductive Choice's telemedicine programme in the UK shows that home-based services are just as safe and effective as in-facility care, can reduce average wait times and are preferred by many clients.

In this short explainer video, we share the evidence behind how we can support women to self-manage their medical abortion, either via a home-based telemedicine service or via a pharmacy, safely.