The abortion pill will now be easier to get in Australia, but what about help for complications?

Chemical abortions are now easier to access in Australia, as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has loosened restrictions surrounding abortion pill distribution.

Previously, chemical abortion was only available via a prescription from a physician with a specialist certification, and then dispensed by a pharmacist who was registered to offer it. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, only about 10% of doctors and 30% of pharmacies are currently certified to offer the abortion pill. With the policy change, which is expected to take effect on August 1, the pill can be prescribed by any healthcare provider, including nurse practitioners. There will also no longer be any restrictions on pharmacies that wish to carry the deadly pill regimen.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president, Dr. Nicole Higgins, praised the change, telling The Guardian that the loosened restrictions will increase abortion — which she calls “essential” — in rural areas.

READ: Patricia saw her baby after taking abortion pill: ‘The guilt… is impossible to describe’

“The TGA’s changes will enable greater access to medical abortion for women throughout Australia and will reduce unnecessary red tape for the GPs who provide these essential services,” she said, adding, “These services are vital, and they must be affordable and accessible for everyone who needs them.”

At least one study has shown that the abortion pill is four times more dangerous than surgical abortion. Complications include heavy bleeding, severe cramping, and contractions, as well as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headaches. Six percent of women have ended up in the emergency room as a result of known chemical abortion complications — though in reality, that number may be much higher, as many abortion pill-related complications are miscoded as miscarriage-related. 

Australian abortion supporters tout the loosened abortion pill restrictions as a victory for women in rural areas, but what the policy change is really doing is putting more women at greater risk. If women in these areas don’t have easy access to an abortionist, they may also not have easy access to a hospital or medical facility when things go wrong. As the numbers show, complications do occur, and taking the abortion pill is dangerous for women.