3 Experts Available for Timely Analysis on Abortion Medication Access
In coming days, a federal judge in Texas will be deciding on whether to outlaw an abortion pill, which could have far-reaching consequences for the rest of the country.
For reporters covering the implications of an abortion medication ban, the following university-based experts are available to provide commentary and analysis.
Aiken's research focuses on the impacts of laws and policies restricting access to abortion, including how and why people self-manage their own abortions outside the formal health care setting. She is currently the lead investigator on Project SANA, a research project that examines self-managed abortion in the United States.
Baker serves on the steering committee of the Five College Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Program, of which she was a co-founder and former co-director. Her scholarship and teaching centers on gender, law and public policy, with a particular focus on reproductive rights and health.
Quote: "The FDA approved mifepristone for abortion over 20 years ago after long and careful study. Extensive evidence has since shown mifepristone is safe and effective—more so than many other medications, including over the counter drugs such as Tylenol. Today, over half of abortions are done with mifepristone. Any decision restricting access to this important medication not only defies medical science but also will endanger the health and well-being of women and pregnant people."
Upadhyay's expertise is in abortion safety and access in the U.S., state-level abortion restrictions, and medication abortion. She is Principal Investigator of the California Home Abortion by Telehealth study which evaluates the safety, effectiveness, and acceptability of telehealth for medication abortion. She is also leading a trial on interest in a late period pill, using misoprostol alone.
Quote: "The safety of medication abortion is well documented in research published in over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles. It has been used in the U.S. for over 20 years by over 5 million patients. In our longitudinal cohort study of over 11,000 patients, we found a safety rate of 99.7%."