New research reveals that thousands of women in the United States have been stockpiling abortion pills as a precautionary measure in case they face difficulties accessing them in the future. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, focused on requests for medication abortion pills from individuals who were not currently pregnant but sought them through Aid Access, a European online telemedicine service that provides prescriptions for future and immediate use.

According to the research letter, Aid Access received approximately 48,400 requests for "advance provision" between September 2021 and April 2023. The demand for these pills surged during periods when it appeared that obtaining them might become more challenging. Notably, the highest number of requests occurred shortly after news leaked in May 2022 that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, but before the official announcement in June. The average daily requests nationwide rose nearly tenfold, from approximately 25 in the eight months prior to the leak to 247 following the leak. In states where an abortion ban seemed inevitable, the average weekly request rate increased nearly ninefold.

Dr. Abigail Aiken, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the authors of the research letter, explained that individuals are concerned about the threats to reproductive health access and rights. They are seeking ways to prepare for potential obstacles or to stay ahead of restrictions. The study found that daily requests dropped to 89 after the Supreme Court decision, but rose to 172 in April 2023 due to conflicting legal rulings regarding the federal approval of mifepristone. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on limitations regarding the drug later this year.

Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, the director of Aid Access based in Amsterdam, attributed the spike in demand to increased public awareness during times of uncertainty. However, the research also highlighted disparities in who has access to advance provision. Compared to those seeking pills for immediate use, a higher proportion of individuals requesting advance provision were at least 30 years old, white, had no children, and lived in urban areas with lower poverty rates. Dr. Daniel Grossman, an OB-GYN at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the study, noted that advance provision is not reaching those who face the greatest barriers to abortion care. He emphasized the importance of further research into these inequities.

Dr. Grossman also highlighted that the concept of advance provision is relatively new in the U.S. healthcare setting. However, Aiken mentioned that some other organizations have recently started offering pills in advance. This development may come as news to many individuals, as it deviates from the standard practice in the country's healthcare system.

The findings of this research shed light on the concerns and proactive measures taken by women across the United States in response to potential restrictions on abortion access. The study underscores the need for further investigation into the disparities in access to advance provision and the impact of such measures on reproductive healthcare equity. As the Supreme Court prepares to rule on limitations surrounding medication abortion, the future of access to these pills remains uncertain.