Abortion pills can be obtained through telehealth services that mail them to your home, through in-person clinics, or through online pharmacies and community networks. The method available to you depends primarily on where you live, how far along you are in pregnancy, and whether you have certain health conditions. The pills are FDA-approved for use up to 70 days (10 weeks) from the first day of your last menstrual period.
Where to Get Abortion Pills
There are four main ways people in the U.S. access abortion pills: online clinics that mail pills after a telehealth consultation, in-person clinics like Planned Parenthood, websites that sell pills directly, and community networks that distribute them. Plan C (plancpills.org) maintains a state-by-state guide covering all of these options, including which are available where you live.
Telehealth is the most common route for many people. You complete a virtual consultation with a licensed provider, and the pills arrive by mail. In states where abortion remains legal, this process is straightforward. Five states explicitly prohibit mailing abortion pills: Arkansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, all of which also have total abortion bans. If you’re in a state with restrictions, Plan C’s guide covers what options still exist.
In-person clinics are available in states without bans. Planned Parenthood health centers can also connect you with financial assistance programs in your area.
What the Pills Cost
The average cost of medication abortion at a clinic is $551. Telehealth services tend to be significantly cheaper, with some online providers using a suggested donation model around $90. For some people, even that amount is a barrier. Abortion funds can help cover both the cost of pills and any travel expenses. The National Abortion Federation hotline and local abortion funds (searchable at abortionfunds.org) are good starting points.
How the Two-Pill Regimen Works
Medication abortion uses two different drugs taken in sequence. On day one, you take the first pill by mouth. Then 24 to 48 hours later, you take four smaller tablets of the second medication by placing two in each cheek pouch, holding them there for 30 minutes, and swallowing any remnants with water. Taking the second medication too early (under 24 hours) or too late (beyond 48 hours) can reduce effectiveness.
The first pill works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which the pregnancy needs to continue. The second pill causes the uterus to contract and empty. Most of the physical process happens after you take the second set of tablets.
What to Expect Physically
Bleeding and cramping typically start one to four hours after the second medication. Over the next several hours, expect heavy cramping and bleeding with blood clots. This is the most intense part of the process. Many people also experience a low-grade fever or chills lasting about a day, along with fatigue, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea.
Heavier bleeding continues for one to two days, then gradually lessens over two to three weeks. This timeline varies, but the heaviest window is generally that first day after the second medication.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most side effects are expected and manageable at home. However, contact a healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
- No bleeding at all within 24 hours of taking the second medication
- Soaking more than two thick pads in an hour, which signals excessive bleeding
- Fever lasting more than 24 hours or foul-smelling discharge, which could indicate infection
- Severe abdominal or back pain that isn’t relieved by over-the-counter pain medication
- No period after two months, or continued pregnancy symptoms
Who Can and Can’t Use Abortion Pills
The FDA-approved window is up to 70 days (10 weeks) from the first day of your last period. Beyond that point, medication abortion is not recommended under the standard protocol. If you’re unsure of your dates, a provider can help confirm gestational age.
Certain health conditions make the pills unsafe. You should not take them if you have an ectopic pregnancy (where the embryo implants outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube), problems with your adrenal glands, a bleeding disorder, or an allergy to either medication. If you’re on long-term steroid therapy or blood-thinning medication, these pills aren’t appropriate. If you have an IUD, it needs to be removed before starting the regimen. A rare condition called inherited porphyria, which affects the liver, is also a contraindication.
A telehealth or in-person provider will screen for all of these before prescribing.
Protecting Your Privacy
If you’re concerned about digital privacy while searching for or obtaining abortion pills, a few practical steps can help. Use a privacy-focused browser like DuckDuckGo, Brave, or Firefox for any related searches. A VPN hides your location and internet activity from your service provider. Turn off location services on your phone before visiting any related websites or clinics.
For communications, encrypted messaging apps are more secure than standard text messages. If you need to create accounts for telehealth services, consider using a separate email address through a provider like Protonmail or Tutanota, which offer stronger privacy protections than Gmail. A free secondary phone number through Google Voice keeps your personal number separate. If you’re paying online, prepaid cards can keep the transaction off your regular bank statements.
More broadly, avoid reusing passwords across sensitive accounts, keep separate browsers for different purposes, and review the privacy settings on your phone apps, turning off location access for anything that doesn’t strictly need it.