Earlier this month, restrictive Texas abortion laws went into effect, essentially banning abortions after six weeks. Now Governor Greg Abbott has just signed another state’s abortion law into law. It prohibits the use of medical abortion after seven weeks. forbes report.
new law, SB4, severely restricting the use and distribution of abortion drugs, barring legal interference, will take effect December 2nd. First of all, SB 4 makes it illegal for health care providers to prescribe abortion pills after 49 days (7 weeks) of gestation. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits.
In addition, the new law also makes it illegal to provide abortion pills to patients by mail, delivery service, or courier. Now, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, you must undergo in-person testing and an extensive informed consent process.
What are commonly known as abortion drugs are actually two drugs. First, there’s Mifepristone (also known as Mifeprex or RU-486). This drug starts the termination process. Then he comes a day or two, misoprostol, to help the uterus push the pregnancy out.
These drugs are used to safely terminate pregnancies before the 10th week. Studies suggest that it is safe to use even when prescribed via telemedicine.There is a risk of side effects such as cramping, bleeding, nausea, and infrequently (about 0.3%), which can lead to excessive bleeding and other problems requiring hospitalization. However, they are generally considered very safe drugs.
Despite its safety profile, mifepristone is Risk assessment and mitigation strategies (REMS) prohibits pharmacies from dispensing medicines. This drug may only be prescribed by certain health care providers and may be administered to patients only in clinics, hospitals, or clinics under the supervision of the health care provider. Some states require doctors to stay in the room with patients while they take mifepristone. Description of the Guttmacher Institute.
However, during the pandemic, an FDA study found no increase in medical abortion-related complications when it decided not to enforce an in-person visit requirement to access drugs. So the new Texas medical abortion ban is another law that limits access to safe and necessary health care. And even for those who have access to medical abortion in Texas, the law adds an unnecessary barrier, making abortion even more difficult during the ongoing pandemic.
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