MYA Network

We are a network of clinicians who are expanding early abortion options in primary care settings. Our network includes activists and patients who want to normalize abortion care, medically and culturally. We have a vision of early abortion being fully integrated into regular medical care. We came together during the Covid-19 pandemic because of a challenge and an opportunity. We were outraged when some states took advantage of the crisis to deem abortion as “non-essential” medical care during a time when these services were needed more than ever. We also realized that because of expanded telemedicine during the pandemic, providing the abortion pill was now simpler than ever. There is no medical reason that early abortion can’t be provided as part of regular medical care. In fact, using telemedicine, a single clinician, mailing abortion pills, can provide abortion care to all patients in their state! In states that ban telemedicine for abortion care, clinicians can dispense the pills out of their offices. They can also offer Manual Uterine Aspiration, a quick and simple in-office procedure that can be done in a regular medical practice. Normalized, integrated abortion care would provide a game-changing response to the erosion of abortion services. Since the 70’s, abortion clinics have been heroic in helping people with early abortion. However, the fact that abortion is provided in a segregated, centralized model of care leaves patients and clinicians vulnerable. If abortion were simply part of regular medical care, it would be extremely difficult to target this basic medical service by bullying, violence, and unprecedented legal tactics. We want to take the heroism out of abortion care. We can make abortion more private and accessible than ever, by expanding the pool of clinicians trained in abortion care. We want to create new models of abortion care, including telemedicine and integrated “routine” abortion care.