The COVID-19 pandemic restricted abortion access and, in response, the UK government temporarily approved medication abortion [use of mifepristone and misoprostol to induce an abortion] at home after telephone or online consultation with a clinician. Pre-pandemic, womxn were required to attend a clinic in person to access an abortion. They would take mifepristone at the clinic, before travelling home/lodgings to take the rest of the medication.

The temporary approval of abortion telemedicine has meant that womxn are able to access abortions in earlier gestations, experienced shorter wait times, and were able to arrange the abortion to their convenience- accounting for childcare, employment, or other considerations in their everyday lives. BPAS’ data on their ‘pills by post’ service from Sept 2020 shows that 80% of clients who expressed a preference would opt for having a telephone consultation and Pills by Post again if they needed another abortion in the future. Providers also report being able to better manage clinics due to telemedicine, include enabling in-clinic services for those who need/want them.

We, a group of abortion research experts (Heini Väisänen, Katy Footman, Joe Strong, Rishita Nandagiri, Rachel Scott, Tiziana Leone and Ernestina Coast), produced a template to help with responses. You can read the template here. Our template builds on BPAS’ response to the consultation.

The UK government is currently holding a consultation on whether this measure ought to be made permanent [we say YES!]. You can submit your response here. The deadline is 26 February 2021.

You can use our template [or others’!] to help you craft your response. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Respond in your own words!

• You don’t have to answer all the questions, but if you can- do!

• You can draw on a range of evidence- including your personal experiences, if you or someone you know* used the service- to support your points. [*encourage them to respond as well!]

For more tips, check out MSI Reproductive Choices’ guide, available here.

A collective write-in!

In collaboration with a number of abortion organisations and groups, the Abortion Book Club is organising a series of zoom events to encourage and support people with responses to the consultation.

In these sessions, we will have abortion experts briefly explain the evidence or highlight particular aspects of the issue. After this, we will share a number of resources like our evidence template and those of our excellent abortion comrades! We will then work on and submit our responses- helping people word craft or sense-check, if that would help!

All pro-abortion folx are welcome to attend- please share with your favourite abortion folx! Please sign-up using the form —->

The first event will be on Monday, 22/02/2021 at 1300 UK.

You must sign up to receive a link to the event.

Keep an eye out for this ever-updating list of dates/times!