14th Annual Mifepristone Medical Abortion Meeting

On June 4-5, Gynuity held the 14th annual meeting on mifepristone medical abortion in New York City, Mifepristone Medical Abortion: More Options for Women, No Going Back. The meeting was attended by 99 clinicians, researchers, women’s health advocates, donors, pharmaceutical representatives and public sector health officials from the U.S. and over a dozen countries. The audience actively participated in the meeting contributing information about new research and evidence-based practice on medical abortion in the U.S. and internationally, as well as updates on legal and political challenges and relevant regulatory issues. Topics addressed in breakout sessions include an update on the WHO newly-released abortion guidelines, the potential role of the semi-quantitative pregnancy test in medical abortion, experience with pharmacy provision of abortion medicines, IEC: new/available resources, and new research questions and future priorities. The second day of the meeting was dedicated to the topic “Politicization of Abortion: Implications for Women, Providers, and Advocates”. Presentations on this topic included the responses of providers and women to new restrictions on abortion practices and services, ultrasound bills in the US: meaning for services, providers and politics, and use and misuse of conscientious objection in abortion services.