By Tyler Arnold
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 16:52 pm
A first-of-its-kind study that delves into public health insurance records found that more than 1 in 10 women who take the abortion pill mifepristone to complete a chemical abortion will suffer a serious health complication during the process.
The study of 865,727 patients between 2017 and 2023, which was published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) on April 28, discovered that 10.93% of women suffer at least one “serious adverse event” within 45 days of taking mifepristone for an abortion.
“This isn’t idle speculation; this is based on the largest data set that we know of,” Ryan T. Anderson, the president of EPPC and one of the study’s authors, told EWTN.
More than 4.7% were forced to visit an emergency room related to the abortion, more than 3.3% suffered hemorrhaging, and more than 1.3% got an infection. Thousands were hospitalized, more than 1,000 needed blood transfusions, and hundreds suffered from sepsis. Nearly 2,000 had a different life-threatening adverse event.
In 2.84% of cases, the chemical abortion was unsuccessful and was subsequently completed through a surgical abortion. In a few thousand cases, an ectopic pregnancy went undetected.
The EPPC study is the most comprehensive research on the subject to date and suggests that the controlled environment of prior clinical trials — some of which reported the rate of adverse events to be as low as 0.5% — may not reflect the real-world consequences of the widespread use of the abortion pill in an increasingly deregulated market.
As the study notes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deregulated mifepristone in 2016 under President Barack Obama’s administration and again in 2023 under President Joe Biden’s administration.
The FDA lowered the number of in-person doctor visits to obtain mifepristone from three to one in 2016 and then to zero in 2023.
The Evolution of Abortion Pill Regulations in the United States
Back in 2016, the FDA made significant changes to the regulations surrounding abortion pills. Among these changes was the removal of requirements for the drugs to be dispensed by a physician in a clinical setting, as well as the elimination of the follow-up appointment rule and mandatory reporting of adverse events. Fast forward to 2023, and the FDA took it a step further by allowing mail delivery of these drugs, thus ending the restriction that they must be distributed in a doctor’s office.
Prior to the 2016 reforms, mifepristone, one of the main abortion pills, was only permitted for use within the first seven weeks of pregnancy. However, under the Obama administration, this limit was extended to the first 10 weeks, opening up more options for women seeking abortions.
Today, more than half of all abortions in the U.S. are carried out using mifepristone. This shift in regulations has enabled women to take the abortion pills in the comfort of their own homes, without the need for a visit to a clinic or doctor’s office.
However, critics argue that the portrayal of abortion pills as being as safe as over-the-counter medications like Tylenol is misleading. Researchers have found that many women are unprepared for the intense pain and complications that can arise from chemical abortions. A recent British study highlighted the lack of preparation among women undergoing this procedure, shedding light on the potential risks associated with at-home abortions.
As the regulations surrounding abortion pills continue to evolve, it is crucial for women to have access to accurate information and support throughout the process. While advancements in technology and healthcare have made abortion more accessible, it is essential to prioritize safety and informed decision-making when it comes to reproductive health.
