Supporting Abortion at Home: Care Needs and Preferences of Online Medication Abortion Users in Three US States

Isabel DoCampo, Guttmacher Institute
Elizabeth A. Sully, Guttmacher Institute
Abigail R. A. Aiken, University of Texas at Austin
Sidney Cech, Guttmacher Institute

Post Dobbs, demand for abortion pills ordered online is expanding in the United States. However, the needs of individuals ordering abortion pills online—for physical, emotional and logistical support—are not well-understood. In an era of unprecedented restriction to clinical abortion care in the United States, it is critical that abortion seekers, providers, advocates and policymakers understand what users require to safely and comfortably manage their abortions at home. This analysis draws from a survey of Florida, Indiana, and Louisiana residents who had abortions via pills ordered online between June-December 2023 and May-August 2024; users obtained medication abortion from community support networks, online clinics or websites that sell pills. We combine our survey data with follow-up surveys of Aid Access (one of the largest online providers of abortion pills in the United States) clients in the same geographies and time periods. We examine the logistical and emotional needs of survey respondents, and the associations between support needs and demographic characteristics, policy environment, and provider type. Findings demonstrate how restrictive abortion environments and the diverse online marketplace for medication abortion in the United States are shaping the health care experiences and needs of people having abortions after Dobbs.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

See extended abstract.