Recent data reported by Axios shows that Colorado now leads the nation in virtual-only abortion pill dispensing, with the number of these abortions nearly three times the national average. The report shows that virtual abortion appointments for the abortion pill more than doubled in the state from 220 per month in April 2022 to 460 a month in March 2023.
Nationally, according to the report, virtual abortions account for about seven (7.4) percent of all abortions as of March 2023, while in Colorado, virtual abortions account for 19.6% of all abortions in the state. That’s up from 14% in April 2022.
Abortion advocates are praising the news that virtual-only abortion numbers are increasing.
“This is the post-Dobbs universe — this is the way things are changing,” said spokesperson Laura Chapin at Cobalt, a pro-abortion advocacy organization. According to Axios, Cobalt provided more than $14,000 in financial aid to 300 women seeking telehealth abortions during the first six months of this year.
“This is just such a convenient option for people. It’s very private and confidential, and it really gives you the opportunity to control what happens during your abortion,” Plan C co-director Elisa Wells told Axios Denver.
Despite this narrative, virtual abortions are not as safe as they are portrayed to be. Telehealth abortion allows the pregnant woman to receive the abortion pill without any face-to-face interaction with a medical provider, greatly increasing her risk of complications. Through the “no-test” protocol, an abortionist will give a woman the abortion pill without using a blood test or ultrasound to verify the baby’s gestational age, confirm that the mother doesn’t have an extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancy, or ensure that she doesn’t have any potential contraindications of the abortion pill.
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The abortion pill is already an extremely risky procedure and has been shown to be four times more dangerous than first-trimester surgical abortions. It is only approved for use through 10 weeks of pregnancy. In the United Kingdom, two women and a 28-week preborn child died after taking abortion pills past the allowed gestational age. Yet with the telemedicine abortion protocol, doctors have no way of confirming that the patient is not past this 10-week date.
Dr. Ingrid Skop, an OB/GYN and board member of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), speaks of the dangers of the “no-test” abortion pill distribution in this article, while this study found that the “no-test” protocol leads to an increase in the need for post-abortion care and clinical health interventions.
Perhaps even more telling, someone once heavily involved in the abortion industry has even spoken of the dangers of virtual-only abortions. Kevin Duffy, the former global clinics director for the Marie Stopes International abortion chain, called for an end to at-home abortions after the revelation that the two women in the UK had died. “These cases are a direct result of the move to home abortion and particularly the removal of the clinic visit and routine assessments. It is simply not possible to replace the critical clinic-based consultation with a phone call. The telemedicine service leaves pregnant women highly vulnerable and must be withdrawn urgently,” he said.
While the abortion industry in Colorado is praising the increase in virtual-only abortions, these procedures are only further endangering the lives of women. The greater push for virtual appointments is a clear sign that the safety and well-being of women is not a priority for abortion businesses in the state.
Editor’s Note 8/31/23: This article was updated to better reflect the data.
