Is the Abortion Pill by Mail a Safe Choice?

Receiving the abortion pill by mail has become a widely accessible choice for women looking to obtain a chemical abortion. It's discreet, FDA approved, and removes many barriers to access. But is it a safe option for women?

While this process may seem convenient, it also removes many of the safeguards designed to protect women’s health. Without in-person medical care, women may miss essential steps such as confirming pregnancy, verifying viability, or ruling out complications. Here’s why that matters.

More Abortion Information

The Importance of Pregnancy Confirmation with a Medical Provider

When ordering abortion pills online, most distributors ask you to fill out an intake form and provide minimal information about your pregnancy. They may offer a brief virtual consultation, as well. However, without pregnancy verification and confirmation (a verified pregnancy test and ultrasound by a medical provider) there is no way of being certain that you are pregnant, knowing if the pregnancy is viable (if there’s a heartbeat), and if the fetus is developing inside the uterus. 

Without confirming these key details and without proper follow-up care, a woman risks unnecessary medical complications and emotional distress.

FDA Approval

In December of 2021, the FDA loosened its restrictions on mifepristone and misoprostol (the two drugs used for chemical abortion), allowing the drugs to be distributed through the mail. While the abortion pill remains accessible to women, there are concerns about its safety and effectiveness. In April of 2025, the Ethics and Public Policy Center conducted the largest study ever on chemical abortion and found that "serious adverse events from mifepristone are approximately 22 times more frequent than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently recognizes," raising concern about the adequacy of current safety guidelines.

Pregnancy Options

Another thing that is lacking from the abortion pill process is information needed to make an informed decision. Terminating a pregnancy is not an easy choice, and often is one that many women feel pressured to make. In fact, a peer reviewed study by Cureus Journal of Medicine Science found that 1 in 4 women describe their abortions as "unwanted or coerced" (Reardon et al.). This highlights the need for women to have a conversation about their pregnancy, understanding that there is support available to them during this difficult time.

No woman should feel pressured into making an abortion decision, and no woman should have to make a pregnancy decision alone. Every woman deserves options, answers, and support, every step of the way.

Abortion Information and Unexpected Pregnancy Support

Alight offers pregnancy confirmation through an on-site medical office and pregnancy options consultations at no cost. You can confirm your pregnancy, walk through your options with one of our compassionate advocates, and leave feeling empowered to make an informed decision.

We are here for you, always, no matter what you decide.

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Works Cited

“Largest-Ever Study of Abortion Pill Reveals Shocking Number of Adverse Events.” Ethics & Public Policy Center, 28 Apr. 2025, eppc.org/news/largest-ever-study-of-abortion-pill-reveals-shocking-number-of-adverse-events/.

Reardon, David C., Katherine A. Rafferty, and Tessa Longbons. “The Effects of Abortion Decision Rightness and Decision Type on Women’s Satisfaction and Mental Health.” Cureus Journal of Medical Science, vol. 15, no. 5, 11 May 2023, p. e38882. PubMed Central, doi:10.7759/cureus.38882. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025