Where You Live Still Affects Access to Early Medical Abortion, Australian Study Finds
21 Jul 2026
New research from Flinders University shows that access to early medical abortion through general practice has increased over recent years, but services are still not equally available across Australia.
The study reviewed records from more than one million women who attended 400 general practices between 2014 and 2021. During this time, more clinics began offering early medical abortion, and the number of women receiving treatment through their GP also increased.
Even with this progress, researchers found that access remains uneven. Women living outside areas where the service is available may need to travel long distances or visit a GP they have never seen before. More than half of the women included in the study attended a new practice to receive treatment, suggesting that finding a provider can still be difficult.
Compared with many other high-income countries, Australia continues to have lower use of early medical abortion, despite it being recognised as a safe and effective option for early pregnancy care.
Researchers say recent changes, including easier prescribing arrangements for MS-2 Step and Medicare-funded telehealth consultations for sexual and reproductive health, are positive developments. However, they believe many patients and healthcare professionals are still unaware of the support and services available.
The study recommends expanding GP education, increasing awareness of available resources, and strengthening telehealth services to improve access, particularly for people living in regional and rural communities.
Researchers plan to continue monitoring access in the coming years to see whether these differences continue to reduce.
Where You Live Still Affects Access to Early Medical Abortion, Australian Study Finds
Source: BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health | Flinders University | newsGP