Advanced practice clinicians and medical abortion: increasing access to care

Early abortion is one of the safest and most common surgical procedures in the United States, yet it carries a significant stigma for both women and health care providers. Due to a number of factors, including political maneuvering and antichoice violence, the availability of physicians trained and willing to provide abortion has decreased dramatically over the past decades, thereby compounding the obstacles to early termination of pregnancy. At the same time, roles for nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants have expanded in primary care as well as in specialty practice. Medical abortion is generating renewed interest in abortion care and is potentially more accessible to providers of primary care, women's health, and family planning services. Its provision by qualified advanced practice clinicians working with their physician colleagues promises to significantly improve the delivery of abortion services to women.