NY grand jury indicts former President Trump
(CNSNews.com) -- Women in the U.S. can now get abortion pills shipped to them with a few clicks of the mouse, through a new online service called Aid Access.
Aid Access was launched by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts “six months ago” but has been kept “quiet,” according to The Atlantic.
Gomperts, who also founded Women on Web, the mail-order abortion program that ships abortion pills to non-U.S. residents, estimated that Aid Access “has already sent pills to 600 women.”
The new service makes abortion much easier for American women, eliminating “mandatory 24-72 hour waiting periods” and “the requirement of parental consent for minors,” according to Aid Access.
After accessing the website, women under nine weeks pregnant can complete an online consultation and “the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol” will be delivered to them by mail. A payment of $95 is encouraged, but the site offers to “try to help” women who cannot afford the price. The pills come with “clear instructions,” and a helpline is available to answer questions.
“The aim of the website and service is to create social justice and improve the health status and human rights of women who cannot access locally available abortion services,” the website reads, identifying Aid Access as a team of doctors and “long-term abortion rights activists.”
According to The Atlantic, Gomperts “will herself fill each woman’s prescription for misoprostol and mifepristone.”
The website touts its service, which allows women to abort without a doctor present at any point during the procedure, as “a safe abortion,” citing various studies to support its claim.
The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute wrote in an Oct. 17 report that “there is evidence” that self-managed medication abortion is “safe and effective,” adding that the World Health Organization (WHO) “recommends this option” in some cases.
Pro-life leaders are disputing claims that medication abortions without a doctor present are safe.
Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins released a statement calling Aid Access’ service “negligent,” “dangerous,” and “a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Even those pushing the drugs admit that they can fail, meaning that women can face infection and other complications if not examined, which is not possible in this on-line business model,” Hawkins said. “Risking women’s lives to make a political point and a quick profit makes no sense, and we sadly anticipate horror stories when inevitably something goes wrong.”
Hawkins cited data from the FDA to support her assertions, writing that “drug-induced abortions” have led to “cases of extreme bleeding, infection and incomplete abortions requiring a surgery, and even to the deaths of women.”
Addressing supporters of the #MeToo movement, Hawkins added that Aid Access could contribute to coerced abortions by abusers.
“And for those engaged with the #MeToo movement consider that these dangerous drugs have also been used by abusers to end wanted pregnancy, something that this distribution model would make even easier,” Hawkins said. “Women deserve better.”
Americans United for Life (AUL) CEO and Founder Catherine Glenn Foster also weighed in, calling Gomperts’ plan “reckless and irresponsible.”
“If no ultrasound is performed in conjunction with the abortion, it’s impossible to know whether the pregnancy is ectopic, a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition that no abortion clinic would try to manage,” Foster said.
Foster said AUL is looking into a possible congressional intervention.
“Because Gomperts’ plan is dangerous to women’s health and safety, the act of sending unregulated prescription abortion pills through the mail should be the subject of federal regulation. For this reason, Americans United for Life is exploring the possibility of Congressional intervention to protect women,” she said.