Team of State Attorneys General Announce They will Assist in Fight Against Texas's Temporary Abortion Restrictions

New York Attorney General Letitia James

A team of pro-abortion state Attorneys General will be teaming up to fight a Texas order temporarily banning elective abortion during the pandemic.

Texas is one of several states which enacted an emergency ban on non-essential medical procedures to slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve important medical equipment such as masks and gloves for doctors fighting the novel disease. Because the state correctly considers elective abortions to be non-essential services that drain resources risk spreading the disease, a team of 19 pro-abortion attorneys general from across the country announced that they will be fighting the Texas ban. New York Attorney General Letitia James said on Twitter April 3 that she would be leading the team.

“I’m leading 19 AGs in legal action to stop Texas from blocking nearly all abortion services & using the #coronavirus as an excuse. In our nation, a woman has a constitutional right to access an abortion & I won't stand for assaults on women's choices, freedoms & bodies," she wrote.

I'm leading 19 AGs in legal action to stop Texas from blocking nearly all abortion services & using the #coronavirus as an excuse.

In our nation, a woman has a constitutional right to access an abortion & I won't stand for assaults on women's choices, freedoms & bodies.

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) April 3, 2020

States expending resources to fight each others' coronavirus response policies is hardly an efficient use of government time and money during this unprecedented time. Hopefully, these government officials will realize that they need to prioritize the health and safety of their respective citizens, at least for the time being if not always.

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Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Denies Ohio Appeal to Reverse Federal Judge's Restraining Order Against Temporary Abortion Ban

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

State governments continue to hit judicial roadblocks as they attempt to temporarily ban abortions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge Michael Barrett issued a temporary restraining order last week against Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's attempt to temporarily ban elective abortions. The goal of that order was to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent abortionists from using desperately needed medical equipment such as masks and gloves used by physicians on the front lines fighting the pandemic. Yost attempted to appeal the restraining order, but his request was denied on April 6.

“We are grateful to Attorney General Dave Yost for his continued leadership in holding the abortion industry accountable and we are hopeful that he will continue to do so in light of this ruling,” said Ohio Right to Life vice president Stephanie Ranade Krider. “While all Ohioans are being asked to make sacrifices in order to preserve innocent lives, the larger medical community is sacrificing the most: not only their time, but their equipment, their private practices, and potentially their own lives. The abortion industry ought not interpret this as a loophole to continue ending innocent lives, push abortion on demand, and proceed with business as usual.”

Other states have had mixed results with their bans so far. Some explicitly exempt abortionists from their rules, while others have been fighting similar legal battles.

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Wisconsin Governor Allows All “Healthcare and Public Health Operations” to Remain Open to Justify Abortion During Pandemic

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D)

In a move seemingly designed to justify elective abortions, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared in his March 24 “Safer at Home” order that "non-essential" businesses will temporarily be required to remain closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, but all “Healthcare and Public Health Operations” will be exempted from this mandate.

Many states have introduced mandates banning all "elective" or "non-essential" medical procedures until further notice. These bans were introduced both to prevent COVID-19 from spreading in these environments and to reduce demand for protective equipment used by physicians helping to fight the pandemic. State governments have conflicting opinions on whether elective abortion should is considered an "essential service," and several pro-abortion organizations have challenged orders temporarily banning elective abortions. These cases will likely continue being debated in federal courts over the next several weeks. 

Wisconsin's ban is unique because it specifically exempts all "Healthcare and Public Health Operations" which the order says “shall be broadly construed.” Because of this, it seems as though abortionists, dentists, and even chiropractors in Wisconsin may not have to close their doors despite most businesses being required to do so. By taking this stance, Gov. Evers doesn't have to argue against claims that abortion providers are being given special treatment over healthcare businesses. However, all of these businesses are still being given special treatment over other businesses in general whenever they are allowed to continue doing business by providing non-essential services. 

Why should abortion clinics be allowed to stay open when a florist is required to close? Neither provides an essential service. Abortion doesn't treat any disease. In edge cases when a mother's life is at risk, emergency delivery via induced labor or c-section is less risky because it is faster than preparing a woman for surgical abortion. By providing these exceptions, governors are simply picking which businesses will be winners and losers.

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21 State Attorneys General, Including Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, Ask Federal Officials to Lift Restrictions on Abortion Pills

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
Credit: Illinois Public Radio / Flickr

Attorneys general from 21 states (including Illinois's Kwame Raoul) co-signed a letter sent on March 30th to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn asking them to lift safety restrictions on abortion pills for use during DIY abortions.

"...due to the REMS, patients have to travel to a designated clinic, medical office, or hospital, as opposed to getting a prescription from their doctor using telehealth, and then obtaining Mifepristone at a local pharmacy or delivered by mail," the letter reads. "The FDA should not mandate this medically unnecessary travel, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis where not only are women being advised to stay home, but families are faced with additional childcare and financial constraints."

If REMS restrictions were lifted, abortionists providing women with prescriptions for abortion pills will not perform ultrasounds on the women to whom they are recommending Mifepristone. This means that women who have pregnancies later than 10 weeks or who have ectopic pregnancies could receive prescriptions when they should not for their own safety. In these situations, the abortion pill regiment has an increased risk of complications such as hemorrhaging. The fact that travel to meet a physician and undergo an ultrasound to ensure a woman's safety is considered "medically unnecessary" by these attorneys general shows that they don't care about the safety of women who have abortions. They only care that abortions continue to happen.

"In light of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis," the letter later states, "We request you remove the FDA’s restrictive REMS designation for Mifepristone thereby removing these unnecessary, undue burdens in accessing safe and time-sensitive, essential medical care. Alternatively, at a minimum, we request that you use your enforcement discretion to allow certified prescribers to use telehealth for mifepristone.

The attorneys general who sent this letter were further willing to ask that federal officials look the other way if abortionists provide pills over the mail during this pandemic, thereby neglecting their duties to protect the health and safety of Americans. The requests made by these state officials show a disregard for the safety of the citizens they serve.

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Illinois Reproductive Health Act Fact 2: Illinois Will No Longer Assure the Safety of Abortions

Here's another fact exposing the dangers of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act which was signed into law last summer: 

GET THE FACTS - Click here to view or download this week's fact sheet.

Click here to view or download a PDF of this fact sheet.

Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois Attracts Cars from 6 States, Sends Patient to Hospital in Missouri.

Credit: Operation Rescue

On March 28, the parking lot for Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois was packed full of 40 cars; including license plates from 6 different states. In a time when social distancing is encouraged by federal and state governments, Illinois is becoming more of an abortion hub than ever.

To top everything off, pro-life onlookers watched as a Granite City ambulance came to pick up a woman on a gurney and transport her across the Mississippi River to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. A large hospital exists directly across the street from Hope Clinic, but the nearest hospital with which abortionist Erin King presumably holds hospital admitting privileges is not even in the same state.

“With women coming from six different states for abortions and being forced together into an over-crowded waiting room, the threat exists that when the women go home, they could take the virus with them and spreading it in their home communities,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “The Hope Clinic is not only placing the lives of women at risk with botched abortions, as they did over the weekend, but are also endangering Americans over a vast geographical region, and could be prolonging the current health crisis. This is a public health emergency that must be addressed by the State of Illinois. For the good of the public, Illinois must shut down their abortion mills.”

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Indiana Governor Issues Order For Physicians to Cancel or Postpone 'Elective and Non-Urgent' Procedures- Including Abortion

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed an executive order Monday requiring that 'elective and non-urgent' medical procedures be postponed or canceled to slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve personal protective equipment for doctors treating patients with COVID-19. This order includes elective abortions.

The executive order applies to all kinds of non-essential procedures, but it does provide a list of examples in writing: "health care facilities, whether hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, dental facilities, plastic surgery centers, dermatology offices and abortion clinics" will all be affected.

"We're living in and through an 'all hands on deck' moment if I've ever seen one and it is unifying our state in ways that I could not imagine," Holcomb said regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He also specifically called out abortion clinics again in a statement; making it clear that he was not going to allow clinics to define their own services as "essential": "I directed all healthcare facilities — hospitals, surgical centers, veterinarians, dermatologists, yes, abortion clinics — to cancel all elective or non-urgent procedures."

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West Virginia Likely to Join States with Executive Orders Temporarily Banning Elective Abortion

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice

On March 31, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice Announced that his state would be joining the growing list of states temporarily banning non-essential medical procedures to preserve medical resources for the fight against COVID-19.

“As of 11:59 p.m. tonight all elective surgeries are suspended so we can continue to do whatever we can to protect our healthcare providers and conserve medical supplies,” Gov. Justice said.

The order states "that all elective medical procedures are hereby prohibited; provided that patients will still have access to urgent, medically necessary procedures like those needed to preserve the patient's life or long-term health; and provided that this prohibition applies equally to all types of elective medical procedures performed in hospitals, offices, and clinics throughout the state. The term "elective" includes medical procedures that are not immediately medically necessary to preserve the patient's life or long-term health, except that procedures that cannot be postponed without compromising the patient's long term health, procedures that cannot be performed consistent with other law at a later date, or procedures that are religiously mandated shall not be considered "elective" under this Order."

"Medically necessary" abortions are defined in part by West Virginia law as “a condition that…so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant female that it necessitates the immediate abortion of her pregnancy …to avert her death or…will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions.”

Under this definition, elective abortion procedures will likely be included in the pro-life Governor's ban.

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Federal Judge Rules Texas Can't Temporarily Ban Abortions During Pandemic. An Appeals Court Stayed that Injunction for Now.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

After Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order temporarily banning all non-essential surgical procedures, Federal Judge Lee Yeakel ruled that abortions must be allowed to continue, overruling the order. The Fifth Court of Appeals responded to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's request for appellate review by granting a temporary stay against Yeakel's ruling.

“The benefits of a limited potential reduction in the use of some personal protective equipment by abortion providers is outweighed by the harm of eliminating abortion access in the midst of a pandemic that increases the risks of continuing an unwanted pregnancy, as well as the risks of traveling to other states in search of time-sensitive medical care,” Yeakel said about his decision.

Unless the Fifth Court of Appeals makes the decision to side with Judge Yeakel, Gov. Abbott's order will continue to stand until further notice. It will conserve medical resources for hospitals treating patients with COVID-19, and treat all non-essential procedures, including abortion, equally.

“Abortion providers who refuse to follow state law are demonstrating a clear disregard for Texans suffering from this medical crisis,” said Attorney General Paxton. “For years, abortion has been touted as a ‘choice’ by the same groups now attempting to claim that it is an essential procedure. All Texans must work together to stop the spread of COVID-19. My office will continue to defend Governor Abbott’s Order to ensure that supplies and personal protective gear reach the hardworking medical professionals who need it the most during this health crisis.”

Alabama and Ohio have also had federal judges block their temporary bans, but none of those decisions have been stayed by an appeals court.

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Planned Parenthood and ACLU Sue States for Temporarily Banning Elective Abortions

Credit: Joe Gratz / Flickr

Planned Parenthood has filed lawsuits against Oklahoma, Iowa, Ohio, Alabama, and Texas in response to executive orders temporarily banning non-essential surgical procedures.

The Hill reported Monday that Planned Parenthood is fighting legal battles against five states which have issued temporary bans against non-essential surgical procedures- including elective abortions. Many states have issued similar bans, but specifically exempted surgical abortions by claiming that it is "essential healthcare."

“A global pandemic is not an excuse to attack essential, time-sensitive medical procedures like abortion,” said Planned Parenthood's acting president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson.

The Center for Reproductive Rights filed suit with Planned Parenthood in the Oklahoma and Texas Cases, while the American Civil Liberties Union did likewise in Iowa, Ohio, and Alabama.

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Planned Parenthood Keystone Stops Providing All Services Except Abortion

In response to COVID19, Planned Parenthood Keystone (the branch that operates in Pennsylvania) has closed its doors to all patients seeking services other than abortion.

"To ensure the health and safety of our patients, staff, and community, Planned Parenthood Keystone has temporarily closed all of its health centers for family planning visits effective March 23, 2020," the website reads. "At this time, Planned Parenthood Keystone is serving patients in Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Warminster, Reading, York, and Harrisburg for abortion services only."

In a move designed to stay consistent with the pro-abortion narrative that abortion is "essential health care," Planned Parenthood branches are fighting any order by state governments to temporarily close their doors to slow the spread of disease and preserve important equipment for use by hospitals.

Pro-life advocates are calling on Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to equally enforce his executive order banning all elective surgical procedures. There is no reason for surgical abortion to be an exception to this rule.

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Oklahoma Executive Order Equally Applies Suspension of Surgical Procedures to Abortions

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt

On March 27, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt left no question that his executive order to suspend all non-essential surgical procedures included surgical abortions, except those "necessary to prevent serious health risks to the unborn child's mother."

"This also includes routine dermatological, ophthalmological, and dental procedures, as well as most scheduled healthcare procedures such as orthopedic surgeries. 

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has increased demands for hospital beds and has created a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to protect health care professionals and stop transmission of the virus."

“We must ensure that our health care professionals, first responders and medical facilities have all of the resources they need to combat COVID-19,” said Gov. Stitt. “I am committed to doing whatever necessary to protect those who are on the front lines fighting against this virus.”

More states need to take a cue from this equal enforcement and stop giving abortion clinics special permission to continue using important medical equipment during a time of unprecedented need.

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Planned Parenthood Asks Public to Donate Protective Equipment for Abortions During Pandemic

As many states are prohibiting non-essential medical procedures to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE) like surgical masks to protect doctors treating COVID19, several Planned Parenthood branches have reached out to the public to ask for PPE donations.

"In uncertain times like this, Planned Parenthood is as committed to patients as always," reads the Planned Parenthood Keystone of Pennsylvania donations page. "We will provide as many people as possible with the critical sexual health care they need to stay safe and healthy. In order to help us do this, please consider donating hand sanitizer, home-sewn masks, shoe covers, and surgical hats to protect our medical staff as they continue to provide care in our communities."

The Pennsylvania branch also called for donations on social media, making sure that its desire to drain important medical resources during this time was visible.

Live Action News also reported that Sue Dunlap, President/CEO Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, sent out an email asking for PPE donations. “In order to continue to meet the needs of the women, men, families, and communities who rely on Planned Parenthood… In order to keep our patients, staff, and sites moving through this emergency, we need all of the same supplies you are hearing about on the news. As gloves, masks, and medications run low, we are doing all that we can to procure supplies for the essential care our community is depending on us to provide.”

Abortion is an elective procedure that is not essential healthcare, no matter how many times Planned Parenthood says it is. Asking the public to donate PPE that could be used by doctors dealing with the current pandemic is incredibly egotistical and irresponsible.

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Senate-Passed Coronavirus Aid Bill No Longer Provides Abortion Funding

Credit: John Brighenti / Flickr

Two weeks ago, there was concern that pro-abortion advocates on capitol hill were going to slow down the legislative response to the coronavirus epidemic by insisting that any aid package includes funding for abortion clinics like Planned Parenthood. The bill that was finally passed Wednesday after much negotiation no longer has any provisions for abortion funding.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed unanimously in the Senate, and the House of Representatives plans to hold its own vote on the bill today.

Hyde Amendment protections against these funds being used for abortion businesses were applied to sections of the bill dealing with health care funding to ensure that these emergency funds aren't used to end the lives of unborn children. Furthermore, non-profits will not be eligible for small-business relief loans if they have over 500 employees (which Planned Parenthood does).

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30,000 Physicians Respond to Abortionists' Calling Elective Abortions "Essential Health Care" During COVID-19 Outbreak

On March 23, a coalition of five medical groups representing 30,000 physicians issued a press release criticizing pro-abortion groups, specifically mentioning the College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), for characterizing elective abortion as essential health care.

"...In such an uncertain and tumultuous time, the entire healthcare profession is being called upon to conserve resources and healthcare professionals to an extent never seen before. And yet, in the midst of this call, while hospitals are postponing elective procedures and many outpatient clinics are rescheduling non-essential office visits, the abortion industry continues with business as usual. 

In their recent joint statement, ACOG with several other traditionally pro-abortion medical organizations, made the preposterous claim that 'abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care' for women, even though elective abortion treats no disease process.

Furthermore, over 85% of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists do not perform elective abortions. If elective abortion were an “essential component” of women’s health care, it would be a part of every obstetric and gynecologic practice."

To ensure the safety of all Americans, several states have told physicians to stop performing non-essential procedures to preserve resources like surgical masks for doctors who need them to treat COVID-19 patients. By insisting to continue performing elective abortions, abortionists are risking the lives of even more people than they normally do by potentially using resources needed by doctors performing procedures in life-or-death circumstances. They could also put additional strain on hospitals by harming women during abortions:

"Elective abortion, both surgical and drug induced, also generates more patients to be seen in already overburdened emergency rooms. Most abortion providers instruct women to go to an emergency room if they have any concerning symptoms after the abortion. Approximately 5% of women who undergo medication abortions will require evaluation in an emergency room, most commonly for hemorrhage. Surgical abortions can also result in hemorrhage. Emergency room personnel – who are already struggling to meet the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic – will be further strained to provide care to these women."

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Bernie Sanders Calls for Expanded Abortion through Telemedicine During COVID-19 Pandemic

Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders
Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders called out several state governments for closing abortion clinics to save personal protective equipment like surgical masks for hospitals treating patients with COVID-19. His comment shows a lack of understanding about the current crisis and suggests that he values the political gain associated with touting abortion access over the safety of Americans.

"It is outrageous that right-wing politicians in states like Texas and Ohio are using this crisis to risk women's health and safety by denying their right to abortion and other reproductive health care," Sanders wrote on Twitter. "Instead, we should be expanding access with things like telemedicine."

It is outrageous that right-wing politicians in states like Texas and Ohio are using this crisis to risk women's health and safety by denying their right to abortion and other reproductive health care. Instead, we should be expanding access with things like telemedicine.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 24, 2020

These states are not targeting abortion clinics specifically. Abortion clinics use important personal protective equipment like surgical masks when they complete surgical abortions; elective procedures that are not essential to the health and survival of a patient. The same states are also prohibiting other health care providers like dentists from performing non-essential surgical procedures during this time. In reality, states that inconsistently apply this rule to create an exception for abortion clinics are only putting additional strain on important equipment and putting all Americans at risk, not just the unborn or their mothers.

Access to abortion via telemedicine is currently prohibited by the FDA through its risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS). When women attempt to complete at-home abortions by using abortion pills without the presence or consultation of a doctor, complications can occur which can lead to injury or death, especially if the woman has not had an ultrasound to diagnose conditions such as an ectopic pregnancy.

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Illinois Reproductive Health Act Fact 1: Clinics Don't Need to Notify the County Coroner if a Woman Dies During an Abortion

For the next 7 weeks, the IFRL blog will release a fact sheet each week exposing the dangers of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act which was signed into law last summer. 

GET THE FACTS - Click here to view or download this week's fact sheet.

Click here to view or download a PDF of this fact sheet.

Texas Governor Prohibits Medically Unnecessary Procedures, Including Abortions, to Save Resources During COVID-19 Pandemic

Texas Governor Greg Abbott

On March 22, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an order adding Texas to the list of states prohibiting elective abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic to make sure personal protective equipment such as surgical masks are available for increasingly-strained hospitals.

From the governor's press release:

"Under this order, the Governor directed all licensed health care professionals and facilities to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient who without immediate performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s physician."

In response statements from abortion clinics claiming that their elective abortion procedures are "essential healthcare" which should continue during this event, Texas Attorney General Paxton made it clear that abortions are included in the temporary ban:

"This prohibition applies throughout the State and to all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary, including routine dermatological, ophthalmological, and dental procedures, as well as most scheduled healthcare procedures that are not immediately medically necessary such as orthopedic surgeries or any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother."

Violations of this executive order could lead to $1,000 fines or 180 days in jail. Hopefully, abortionists will understand that by at least delaying procedures they can help doctors save lives.

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Ohio Abortion Clinics Defy Governor's Order to Halt Non-Essential Procedures Amidst Pandemic

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

On March 17, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued an order to halt all elective surgical procedures in the state to preserve personal protective equipment so it remains available for hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Ohio abortion clinics have publicly announced that their doors are still open and they are performing surgical abortions despite the state's order; claiming that surgical abortions are "essential health care."

On March 20, the Ohio Attorney General's Office issued notices to Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio’s Cincinnati Surgery Center and the Women’s Med Center in Dayton. These notices included a warning that unless non-essential surgical procedures were halted, the Department of Health will take action against these abortion businesses:

"On March 17, 2020, the Ohio Department of Health issued an order pursuant to the Department’s powers under R.C. 3701.13. That order (attached) cancelled all non-essential or elective surgeries and procedures utilizing personal protective equipment (“PPE”) as of 5:00 p.m. on March 18, 2020. The order was issued, in part, to preserve PPE for health care providers who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic that is spreading in our state and also to preserve critical hospital capacity and resources. 

The Ohio Department of Health has received a complaint that your facility has been performing or continues to offer to perform surgical abortions, which necessarily involve the use of PPE. On behalf of the Department, you and your facility are ordered to immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions. Non-essential surgical abortions are those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient. The Department of Health has outlined criteria to consider when determining whether a procedure is essential (see attached order). If you or your facility do not immediately stop performing non-essential or elective surgical abortions in compliance with the attached order, the Department of Health will take all appropriate measures."

Stopping abortion procedures (all of which should be considered non-essential) would slow the spread of COVID-19, free important protective equipment such as masks for use in hospitals, and reduce the need for emergency room care by preventing women from facing the complications that can occur during an abortion (such as hemorrhaging).

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FDA Confirms Regulations Banning Mail Distribution of Abortion Pill will Remain during Pandemic

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar
Credit: Chris Williams / Flickr

Last Thursday, the pro-abortion news outlet VICE wrote an opinion piece arguing for increased access to abortion pills through telemedicine. If abortion pills were available this way, people could contact abortion providers virtually via the phone or internet to receive abortion pills through the mail. When VICE asked the FDA to comment on the idea, it confirmed that restrictions against mail distribution of abortion pills would remain in effect.

“Certain restrictions, known as a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS), are necessary for mifepristone when used for medical termination of early pregnancy in order to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks,” the FDA Office of Media Affairs told Vice.

VICE suggested that "… During the COVID-19 pandemic, HHS Secretary Alex Azar could perhaps apply Trump’s telehealth mandate to medication abortion by directing the FDA to eliminate or relax its regulations, and allow pregnant people to consult with their providers virtually and obtain mifepristone via their pharmacy or in the mail," but the Trump administration maintains its stance that giving abortion pills to women who haven't physically met with a doctor is dangerous.

Some dangers involved with loose distribution regulations can include women having complications when attempting DIY abortions, and abusive men forcing women to undergo abortions they don't want.

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