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PHOENIX - Phoenix abortion clinic has devised a method for patients who can terminate their pregnancy using a pill to obtain the drug fast without breaking an Arizona law that still forbids the majority of abortions.
Under the arrangement, which went into effect on Monday, patients will receive a free ultrasound in Arizona, a prescription via telehealth consultation with a California doctor, and then a prescription will be shipped to a post office in a border town in California for pickup.
Although the procedure is not as simple as it was before an Arizona judge determined that a pre-statehood law criminalizing almost all abortions may be enforced nearly two weeks ago, it nevertheless saves a travel by day to a large California city with an abortion facility. Additionally, it is more convenient than the prior workaround employed by Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, which involved getting the tablets prescribed by a doctor in Sweden and having a pharmacy in India mail them to Arizona. This can require up to three weeks.
The Abortion Fund of Arizona, which assists women in paying for out-of-state access to abortions, will cover the cost of the pills, according to Ashleigh Feiring, a nurse at the clinic. Till the 12th week of pregnancy, women can abort with a pill. Before the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated Roe v. Wade in June and gave states the right to outlaw all abortions, pill and surgical abortions were permitted up until about 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration permanently lifted regulations requiring in-person clinician consultations before women may have a medication abortion, allowing women to schedule a telemedicine visit and receive the pills by mail.
However, Arizona has laws that prohibit both mailing drugs and performing abortions unless the mother's life is in danger. In order to accommodate patients who wanted to obtain the abortion pill as well as those who were more over 12 weeks along and required a surgical abortion, clinics made deals with clinics in New Mexico and California.
Feiring stated that Camelback Family Planning is unconcerned about providing ultrasounds and post-abortion care for those who utilize the pill to have an abortion.
Feiring declared, "We don't offer abortions. "We're merely informing people,"
The first medication would be taken at the post office after being delivered to one of three California towns near the Arizona border, and then the second medication would be taken before returning home. In approximately a week, they would come back to the clinic for a follow-up examination.
The idea was criticized by Cathi Herrod, the president of the socially conservative group Center for Arizona Policy and the creator of many of Arizona's draconian abortion laws.
Herrod argued that the idea of abortion pills "displays a startling contempt for the health and well-being of the mother."
Herrod contends that despite FDA approval, abortion drugs have serious side effects and that women need a physical examination and follow-up care.
She remarked, "I'm not shocked the abortion industry would care more about their bottom line and about selling pills than they would care about caring for women still.
According to President and CEO Brittany Fonteno of Planned Parenthood Arizona, the organization has a staff of patient navigators who can explain to patients their options, which include bearing the baby and keeping it, placing it for adoption, or traveling outside the country for an abortion.
Planned Parenthood will assist with the patient to make arrangements for care if the patient decides to undergo an abortion but is unable to pay the increased costs. Either Planned Parenthood funding or money from the two abortion funds in the state will help cover the additional costs. Travel, hotel, child care, and other expenses will be covered by this.
It involves doing everything in our ability to remove those obstacles to care, according to Fonteno. Before the ban, Planned Parenthood dominated the market in the state.
Arizona is one of numerous states governed by Republicans that forbid the mailing of abortion medication. It is one of the 14 states that the Supreme Court permitted when it reversed Roe and has nearly comprehensive abortion laws.
The majority of the 13,000 abortions performed on Arizonan women last year used pills. The majority happened prior to the 15th week of pregnancy.
