No-Touch Abortion

18 snips

Oct 14, 2022

Avir Mitra, an ER doctor, teams up with Dr. Laura MacIsaac, a leading gynecologist, to discuss the evolving landscape of abortion care. They highlight how advancements in medication like misoprostol and mifepristone are changing the way abortions are administered. Avir was surprised by Laura's insights into progress, rather than despair, surrounding abortion practices. The duo also explores the impact of telehealth on access, especially during the pandemic, and emphasizes the importance of self-managed abortions as a key aspect of reproductive healthcare.

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INSIGHT

Quiet Evolution of Abortion

While the abortion debate continued, the practice quietly evolved, shifting away from surgical procedures.
Pills like misoprostol and mifepristone have become central to modern abortion methods.

ANECDOTE

Brazilian Women and Misoprostol

Brazilian women seeking abortions in a country where it was illegal, began using ulcer medication.
This medication, misoprostol, was found to induce abortions, though its effectiveness was unreliable.

INSIGHT

Development of Mifepristone

French doctor Etienne-Emile Beaulieu, realizing progesterone's importance in pregnancy, developed mifepristone.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, making the uterus unsuitable for embryo implantation.

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When the Dobbs decision went down, ER doctor Avir Mitra started to prepare for the worst — botched, at-home abortions that would land pregnant people in the emergency room. To prepare himself and his colleagues for the patients they might see, and to think through how best to treat them, Avir asked Laura MacIsaac, one of New York City’s leading gynecologists and abortion experts, to come talk to his ER department. But what Dr. MacIsaac had to say in her lecture wasn’t what Avir expected: she didn’t talk about how we’re going back in time and the horrors of self-harm as a means to an abortion. Instead, she painted a picture of progress — how in the last 40 years, through private practice and clinical trials all around the world, the process and science of providing and having an abortion has changed dramatically, mostly because of two types of pills: misoprostol and mifepristone. On this episode, Avir and Senior Correspondent Molly Webster visit Dr. MacIsaac to hear more, and also learn about a new study that indicates the process of abortion is on the precipice of even further change.

Special thanks to Mariana Prandini Assis and Pam Belluck.

Episode Credits:Reported by Avir Mitra and Molly WebsterProduced by Sarah QariMixing help from Arianne WackFact-checking by Diane KellyEdited by Becca Bressler

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