What is Self-Managed Abortion?

A self-managed abortion (SMA) is when a person ends their pregnancy outside the formal medical system. That means they don’t get in-person or telehealth support from a doctor or clinic.

You don’t have to be or feel alone when self-managing an abortion. Abortion pills and emotional support for SMAs can be found online.

• Reprocare’s Healthline offers private, peer-based emotional support and accurate information about planning and having an abortion at home with pills.
• Abortion On Our Own Terms: Abortion Access is a great resource for finding abortion pills online and getting more information about self-managed abortion and abortion care.

In the U.S., more than 60% of abortions are medication abortions or “abortions with pills.” Self-managed abortions are often called “abortions at home with pills.”

Many people have used the medication misoprostol to end pregnancies. This pill can be taken alone or with another medication, mifepristone*. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, the hormone that maintains pregnancy. Misoprostol causes cramping, which empties the contents of the uterus. The World Health Organization has stated that both methods are safe when used correctly, with or without a clinician.

• Visit Self-managed Abortion; Safe and Supported: How to Use Abortion Pills. Read about taking abortion pills correctly, learn what to expect after you do, and answer other FAQs about self-managed abortion with pills.

*Laws and policies about abortion pills are constantly changing. We do our best to keep the information on this page current.

Self-managed abortions can be easier to plan, more private, and more comfortable than abortions in medical settings. Each person seeking an abortion faces different circumstances, and SMAs let a pregnant person decide how their abortion happens. 

People self-manage their abortions for other reasons, too. 

• They might be facing financial or practical barriers that prevent them from getting the abortions they need and want.
• When a pregnant person is part of a structurally oppressed and under-resourced community, these barriers are even harder to overcome. Members of these communities already face unfair treatment from our healthcare and economic systems.
• In states that restrict abortion, many clinics have closed, and those that remain are overburdened. This makes finding an abortion appointment difficult. 
• Even if someone can find an appointment, they often must pay for and arrange to travel long distances and take time away from work, school, family, or other responsibilities. 

Get involved and support self-managed abortion. Take Action for SMA.