Over The Phone Abortions Are Being Proved Safe And Efficient

The world’s first solely over the phone abortion service is being called a success after reports of successful terminations by Australian company The Tabbot Foundation.

The service has been around since 2015 and, according to the foundation, millions of women have used the service without any complications.

In fact, a 2017 study found that of the 717 women who took the abortion drugs the foundation provided, 82% reported normal terminations - 15% couldn’t be contacted.

How do over the phone abortions work?

First the foundation provides a referral for an ultrasound and pathology test with in doctor in the client’s area before the over the phone process begins, then comes a medical consultation with one of the foundation’s doctors and clinical psychologists over the phone.

If these professionals think a medical abortion is safe, they will then supply the necessary drugs via post – including antibiotics and pain medication for after the termination.

After the client has taken the medication, a nurse will check that the pregnancy has been successfully terminated with a blood test.

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What are the benefits?

The main benefits cited are ease of access and privacy, but the foundation also highlights benefits for women who don’t live in big cities.

‘The expansion of access to medical terminations by tele-medicine is particularly important to women living in rural and regional Australia,' the website states. ‘These women have to travel long distances or indeed travel interstate to undergo surgery or not had the option of surgery at all.’

Could all abortions be done over the phone?

Some women are already taking abortion medication themselves, but the Tabbott Foundation is currently the only group that provides a completely over the phone service.

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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.