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Frequently Asked Questions


AOD Logistics

No, you do not have to be a resident of the state you select. The law applies to where you are physically located in a given moment regardless of where you live. You must however be in the state you select at the time of your scheduled video appointment and to accept your medication abortion packet in the mail.

Yes. We use secure platforms that meet federal and state privacy standards. By law your personal health information will not be shared outside of our service unless you specifically request that your records be sent. The rare exception is when we refer you to one of our in person colleagues for medical assessment if needed. They will need your medical records to provide safe care. We will notify you in advance and get your permission if we need to send your records to another clinic.

All patients are charged a $239 fee that includes a consultation with a board-certified physician, the medication kit sent overnight, 24/7 call service and limited follow-up care if needed. We accept Paypal, credit or debit cards. Check our resources page for help with funding.

Not yet. People with private health insurance are unlikely to meet their deductible for abortion care in most cases. 

A number of the states we serve provide state health insurance (Medicaid) to cover abortions. If you are in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont or Washington you may qualify for state funding to cover your abortion if you opt for in person care or a provider who accepts Medicaid in your state. The income threshold may be higher when you are pregnant, depending on your state. If this is an important option for you, please see our resources page to find providers in your area who accept Medicaid or private insurance.

Pregnancy is not the only reason to miss a period. We don’t want you to spend time and money on our service if you are not actually pregnant. If your drug store pregnancy test is negative we ask that you see another healthcare provider to discuss other reasons why you may have missed a period.

Yes. Some states have strict rules about minors getting abortions. So we require a photo ID with a date of birth if you are seeking care.

Some states have strict rules about minors getting abortions. There are also federal rules about how old you must be to consent for our payment platform. We hope to work with abortion funds to address this in the near future.

We are currently able to provide care to patients in English only.


What to expect

Any range of light to heavy bleeding is normal and expected. It lasts about 10 days on average, but a wide range of 4 days to 4 weeks can be normal. It’s like a medium period with the heaviest part in the first few days.

Abortion can definitely be uncomfortable. Medication abortion mimics a natural miscarriage. Most people describe it as similar to very heavy period cramps. Our packets come with high dose anti-inflammatory pain medications. If you are worried about low pain tolerance or have high sensitivity to pain you may want to consider in-person care for the abortion procedure.

Abortion kits are sent by overnight shipping. Due to nationwide shipping problems from the COVID-19 crisis, it may take up to 2 business days after your appointment. State-specific waiting period laws in Georgia and Minnesota require that we delay shipping to patients in those states by 24 hours. 

Early abortion with pills is more than 98% effective. We do a follow-up check by text and medical grade pregnancy test in your packets to ensure it worked.

Nope. Just note the heaviest bleeding and cramping is typically in the first day after taking the medicines. You’ll want to have easy access to extra pads and options to change them often.

Many people prefer to take a few days off if they have a physical job. But it is not medically necessary to take time off work. It mimics heavy period cramps or an early miscarriage.

Medication abortion is very safe, and emergencies are uncommon. We keep a board-certified physician on call if needed. Please contact our 24/7 call center at the phone number in your packet. It is also sent to your email for reference. If you are having a serious medical emergency you should call 911.


Visits

Abortion on Demand is best for people who are sure of their decision. If you are unsure of your decision to end your pregnancy or if you want to talk with a counselor about other options, please visit page our resources page.

If you decide you do not wish to use our services after scheduling your appointment, please use the link in your scheduling confirmation email to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours prior for a full refund. If you do not cancel your appointment prior to this window we will charge a $50 booking fee and refund the rest. We do this to prevent anti-abortion activists from blocking appointment slots from people needing care. Booking fees are donated to provide support for independent abortion clinics offering second and third trimester care.

If you talk to the doctor and change your mind, we will provide a full refund including the booking fee. We cannot provide refunds after medication packets have been mailed. If abortion by mail is not a safe option for you based on your doctor’s professional assessment during your visit, you will be provided a full refund and referrals to in person care.

 

We can call-in prescriptions to local pharmacies in some states but do not universally prescribe birth control. Feel free to ask your doctor at the secure video visit any questions you have about birth control. We are happy to provide resources and answer questions about common birth control methods.

Medication packets are sent by overnight shipping. Please check the tracking number sent to your email to see where yours is. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed shipping worldwide, but most AOD packets will arrive within 2 days.

Please use our Contact Us form to request medical records. We will reach out via phone to confirm your identity then send a medical release form for you to e-sign and return. We do not maintain medical records for patients who complete intake but do not complete an appointment.


Medical Questions

An ultrasound is a machine that uses sound waves to measure your pregnancy, uterus and other internal organs. If you had an ultrasound for this pregnancy it would have been reported to you based on the number of weeks into your pregnancy you were and/or your expected due date if you were to continue your pregnancy.

We recommend ultrasounds for patients who have an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus) or who may have pregnancies further along than we can safely manage on our platform.

We use high dose ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), which is a type of NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), for pain control. Other examples of NSAIDs include naproxen (Naprosyn), aspirin, nabumetone (Relafen) and meloxicam (Mobic). If you are allergic to NSAIDs or ibuprofen we do not have another pain medication we can offer. You may still get a medication abortion but it should be with a different provider.

Ectopic pregnancies are those that occur outside of the uterus, most commonly the fallopian tubes. Ectopic pregnancies are rare, but having had one before increases your risk of future episodes. It can be a medical emergency.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection in the uterus, ovaries and/or fallopian tubes most commonly caused by sexually transmitted infections. Having had PID in the past increases your risk of pregnancies outside of the uterus.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a T-shaped plastic device inserted by a health provider in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. If you have an IUD in place, or an IUD placed in the past but never removed, you may be at increased risk of having a pregnancy outside the uterus.

Bleeding disorders that may not be safe for medication abortion include Von Willebrand Disease, hemophilia, and thrombocytopenia (low platelets). If you are not sure whether you have a bleeding disorder please contact your regular doctor or see our resources page for in person care options. Anemia is not considered a bleeding disorder.

Anemia – or low blood levels – is very common because of blood loss with your menstrual cycle over time. This iron deficiency anemia – as well as sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait – is not usually a major safety concern for medication abortion unless you have lightheadedness or if have needed a blood or iron transfusion.

Blood thinners are given to people who have had blood clots or have a condition making them more likely to have  blood clots. These prescription drugs include coumadin (Warfarin), apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto). It is not safe to proceed with medication abortion if you take blood thinners, though a procedure abortion is safe. Please contact your usual doctor or see our resources page for other options if you are not sure whether you take a blood thinner.

It is safe to take low dose 81mg aspirin – aka baby aspirin – once a day and still use the abortion pill. If you are taking high dose 325mg aspirin because you were advised to by your doctor we ask that you seek in person care and/or discuss this with your usual doctor.

The abortion pill can counteract steroids, so it may not be safe for people who need steroid pills or shots more than 5 days a month for long term health issues. Examples include prednisone, prednisolone, or Solu-Medrol. This does NOT include inhalers, ointments or creams. Contact your regular doctor or see our resources page if you are not sure whether this applies for you.

The abortion pill can interfere with some treatments for serious rare conditions. Please do not use our service if you are on dialysis or have adrenal failure. If you do not know whether you have these rare conditions, please ask your regular doctor or see our resources page for other care options. Kidney stones or past kidney infections are not a concern in this case.

Porphyria is a very rare type of liver disease that affects the skin and nervous system. It is not safe to use abortion pills if you have porphyria; you should have an abortion procedure instead. If you are not sure whether you have porphyria, please contact your regular doctor or see our resources page for other options.