The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that approximately 5.9 million women in the United States have used the abortion pill mifepristone for medical termination of pregnancy from 2000 through the end of December 2022. This number represents a significant loss of potentially 5.9 million preborn human lives to abortion by the abortion pill regimen (mifepristone and misoprostol) over the past two decades.
Additionally, the FDA documented 32 deaths “associated with mifepristone” since its approval in 2000. These deaths were linked to various causes, including sepsis, ectopic pregnancy, and other complications. It’s important to note that these adverse events cannot be definitively attributed solely to mifepristone due to factors like concurrent use of other drugs, medical treatments, co-existing conditions, and information gaps about patient health status.
Abortions done by pill now make up the majority of all abortions committed in the United States — 53 percent in 2020 alone. And with the proliferation of unregulated online virtual abortion businesses, chemical abortion numbers are likely to grow. This number does not represent abortion pills being shipped into the United States illegally.
The number of deaths directly related to the abortion pill remains a subject of debate, with some suggesting that as many as half of the FDA-reported deaths could be connected to the drug and the abortion process. While the FDA does not specify how many deaths are directly attributable to mifepristone, research from pro-abortion groups has indicated a significant association between the drug and certain fatalities.
In addition to deaths, the FDA reported thousands of adverse events, including hospitalizations, blood loss requiring transfusions, and infections, among other complications. However, reporting of adverse events is no longer mandatory under FDA regulations since 2016, making it difficult to fully track the impact of the abortion pill.
The expansion of abortion pill dispensing to mail-order and brick-and-mortar pharmacies has raised concerns about the lack of in-person medical supervision, which may result in higher risks for women taking the drug.
Chemical abortions, through the use of abortion pills, have become the predominant method of abortion in the United States, comprising 53 percent of all abortions in 2020. The increasing availability of online virtual abortion services may further contribute to the growth of chemical abortions.
While some states have implemented strict protections for preborn children, others continue to impose restrictions on medication abortion access, affecting women’s choices regarding abortion methods.
Despite these revelations, the abortion industry continues to promote abortion pills as safe and simple, downplaying the associated risks. Chemical abortions, which involve abortion pills, have become the majority of all abortions in the United States, constituting 53 percent of all abortions in 2020.
Several states have implemented restrictions on medication abortion, requiring in-person visits, licensed physicians’ involvement, gestational limits, and bans on mail-order dispensing, among other regulations.
This report underscores the ongoing debate surrounding abortion access, safety, and its impact on women’s health and preborn lives.
Overall, the use of abortion pills and the associated risks remain a topic of debate and concern within the United States.
