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Pills in Advance

How people are getting abortion pills in advance

Medicine cabinet with abortion pills

What does it mean to get abortion pills in advance, in case of future need?  

  • Many providers will send abortion pills before needing them, to have on hand just in case. Providers are mailing pills in advance to all states and territories.
  • You don't need to be pregnant to get abortion pills.
  • Pills usually cost between $70 and $150. Some providers offer discounts, but they ask that you pay what you can, to help cover the cost of medication and shipping.
  • Abortion pills last for about two years when stored in a cool dry place. Providers recommend checking the expiration date before using them.
  • Research shows this has been happening for many years.
  • Depending on your location and situation, there may be legal risk. Read our FAQ or contact the ReproLegalHelpline with questions.

Where people get pills in advance

These telehealth services deliver pills in advance, in case of future need:

If you decide to use pills later, the services will still help with instructions and follow up support.

Online vendors also ship pills in advance:

  • See a list of Websites That Sell Pills here. Research shows that current prices starts at $70.
  • These websites sell abortion pills but do not include any additional support. People can still get free medical support for abortions from the M+A Hotline.

Resources & Information:

The M+A Hotline can answer questions and offer guidance.

Abortion pills are a public health tool used around the world. To learn how people use them, visit How to Take Abortion Pills: Step by Step Instructions.

Learn more about pills in advance in the FAQ below.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do when it's time to use the pills?

When ordered from a medical provider or service, people often contact the original provider if they decide to use the pills. People can also use directions and resources found online to self-manage their abortion with pills. The free confidential Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline can also answer questions.

See Plan C's step-by-step instructions for using abortion pills, developed with the M+A Hotline.

Can I get abortion pills in my state?

Yes, abortion pills can be ordered in advance from any state. Use the information above or this state directory to find a provider.

Since the end of Roe vs. Wade, tens of thousands of people all over the US have ordered pills in advance, and numbers continue to increase.

In some states or circumstances, there may be legal risk: contact the ReproLegalHelpline with questions about specific situations.

How long do abortion pills last?

Abortion pills can be kept for around 2 years before they start to degrade.  

It is recommended to keep the pills in their packaging until you need to use them, and to store them in a cool dry place, out of the reach of children and others who shouldn’t access them.

Some providers recommend keeping the pills in a bedroom drawer instead of a bathroom medicine cabinet, to keep them cool and dry.

Can I get in trouble for using abortion pills?

The short answer is: it depends, and it’s complicated.

Legal risk can depend on:

  • where you live,
  • your identity: race, ethnicity, income level, etc.
  • and how far along you are in pregnancy.

Hundreds of thousands of people have successfully received pills by mail over the past few years with no problem, but some people have been criminalized. In the end, it’s up to each person to make their own decision about risk. The ReproLegal Helpline is a free service that can help you understand your risk. Click the headings below for more information about these risks.

Where someone lives makes a difference.

Pills are available by mail in all states, even in states that ban clinic-based abortion care. Using pills by mail is medically safe.

If you live in a state that has restrictions on abortion (like a total ban or gestation restrictions), using pills by mail may come with some legal risk. We mark services with an info icon (ℹ) in our Guide to let you know that they may have legal risk.

To understand the potential legal risks, you can contact the ReproLegal Helpline, a free legal resource that can help answer your questions: visit reprolegalhelpline.org or call or text 844-868-2812.

What if a state totally bans abortion?

Some states have laws that make it illegal for doctors or clinics to provide abortions.

But, people in states that ban abortion can still get abortion pills by mail. We mark services in these states with an info icon (ℹ) in our Guide to let you know there could be legal risk.

People who live in states that ban abortion also sometimes travel to a state where abortion is legal to get care. However, traveling to get care could be risky for some people, for instance if they are not free to leave their home or do not want to risk going through an immigration checkpoint (which can be within 100 miles of any US border).

The Repro Legal Helpline provides free and confidential legal advice that can help people better understand the laws and legal risk they may face. Contact them online or call 844-868-2812.

How big is the legal risk?

This is a really hard question to answer.

We know that hundreds of thousands of people in restricted states have successfully received and used pills by mail over the past few years with no legal consequences.

And, we know that some people have been criminalized. Those who are already at greater risk of criminalization because of their race, gender identity, economic status, or other factors may have a higher risk of prosecution.

The Repro Legal Helpline provides free and confidential legal advice that can help people better understand the laws and legal risk they may face. Contact them online or call 844-868-2812.

‍Why have some people gotten in legal trouble?

Taking abortion pills is not a criminal act in most states. But, some people who have used abortion pills on their own have gotten in legal trouble in the United States.

The most common ways people get in trouble are:

They seek help from a medical provider and the provider reports them to the police. This shouldn’t happen, but it does.

Everyone should be able to access medical care when they are concerned about their health. But in a few cases, medical staff have called the police on people who have taken abortion pills. This is not ethical and should not happen.

Patients are not required to report to clinicians that they have used abortion pills. The symptoms after taking abortion pills are the same as a miscarriage. Blood tests do not reveal any differences between a miscarriage and a medication abortion. Medical providers can safely and effectively care for patients who have used abortion pills without needing to know their full medical history.

People can often avoid the need for urgent care by consulting with a knowledgeable clinician by phone. The Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline offers free text and phone assistance to anyone who has medical questions.

Federal law (EMTALA) also says that clinicians must provide abortion care to address a medical emergency for all patients who present at a hospital emergency department.

They tell a friend and the friend reports them to the police.

It is reasonable to want support from friends when facing an unplanned pregnancy.

Unfortunately, some people have reported their friends to the police for self-managing an abortion. This can happen when someone confides in a partner or friend or if the friend happens to see a text message or social media post.

Reports by friends and acquaintances accounted for more than a quarter of the 61 known criminalizations between 2000 and 2020.

There is more fetal tissue than expected and they don’t know what to do with it.

Sometimes people have been reported to the police because of the way they disposed of the abortion tissue.

Most early abortion tissue is just blood and clots (like a heavy period) that can be flushed down the toilet. But sometimes when abortion pills are taken after 12 weeks there is more tissue. (Learn how to calculate pregnancy length here.)

It can be hard to know how to dispose of fetal tissue (this is true when someone has a miscarriage, too). Some people have been discovered when tissue has been found in the public sewer system or stored or buried at home.

Contact the free Repro Legal Helpline if you have questions: online or at 844-868-2812.

Have Legal Questions?

Once someone decides to have an abortion, they should be able to do so safely, effectively, and with dignity. No one should be arrested or jailed for ending their own pregnancy.

If someone gets into trouble for having an abortion, it is important for them to get legal help. Organizations that offer legal help are:

  • Repro Legal Helpline provides free, confidential legal support online or at 844-868-2812. They also defend people who are prosecuted or threatened with prosecution for self-managing their abortion. This fact sheet also has some great information about legal issues.
  • Pregnancy Justice defends women who are pregnant and attempt to have abortion, actually have an abortion, or are mistaken as someone who has had an abortion.

The Repro Legal Helpline provides free and confidential legal advice that can help people better understand the laws and legal risk they may face. Contact them online or call 844-868-2812.

For more analysis of potential legal risk, read this article.

What other resources are available?