Effectiveness and safety of a direct-to-patient telehealth service providing medication abortion targeted at rural and remote populations: Cross-sectional findings from Marie Stopes Australia

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

ObjectivesWe assessed the safety and effectiveness of direct-to-patient telehealth provision of medication abortion in Australia. Study designWe included all medication abortions (January 2017–December 2018) from Marie Stopes Australia's patient management and adverse event reporting systems. We defined effectiveness as whether the patient had a continuing pregnancy, incomplete abortion, and/or subsequent vacuum aspiration or procedural abortion and safety as whether the patient experienced any adverse event. ResultsDirect-to-patient telehealth was more effective than in-clinic provision (97.2% vs 95.4%). The proportion of adverse events did not differ between groups. ConclusionsThis direct-to-patient telehealth service is safe and effective.