Most abortions in the United States are medication abortions, and telehealth has become an increasingly common way to access abortion pills — especially since the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision revoked the federal right to an abortion.

In the last few months of 2023, nearly 1 in 5 abortions nationwide — about 17,000 each month — were medication abortions in which the pills were mailed to a patient after a remote consultation with a clinician, according to a new report from #WeCount, a research project led by the Society of Family Planning. When #WeCount started collecting data from abortion providers in April 2022, about 4% of all abortions were medication abortions provided through telehealth.

Medication abortion is a method by which someone ends their pregnancy by taking two drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol — rather than having a surgical procedure. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the drugs for abortion use more than two decades ago, and the regimen is approved for use up to 10 weeks gestation.