Australian women will have greater access to medical abortion care and more options for miscarriage care after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved two major changes to a commonly used abortion medication.
MS-2 Step (mifepristone and misoprostol) is now approved for medical abortion up to 10 weeks' gestation (up from 9 weeks) and, for the first time, is approved for the medical management of missed miscarriage up to 10 weeks.
The changes took effect today, although PBS subsidies have not yet been extended to cover the new uses.
Available to comment:
Professor Danielle Mazza AM, Head of Monash Department of General Practice, Lead researcher at NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women in Primary Care (SPHERE)
Contact: +61 423 208 747 or [email protected]
Comments attributable to Professor Mazza:
“This announcement is highly significant for both Australian women and healthcare practitioners, especially general practitioners.
“Being able to use the medication for a medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation gives women more time to find an abortion provider and access care. This is especially important for women in rural and remote communities who often face delays navigating to care. It will also reduce the need for having to have a surgical abortion simply because you have passed the 9-week mark.
“These changes bring the approved use of MS-2 Step into line with national clinical guidelines, giving GPs and other healthcare providers greater confidence in the safety and effectiveness of these medications.
“Approving MS-2 Step for the management of missed miscarriage is equally significant. It gives women another treatment option for early pregnancy loss enabling GPs to provide more comprehensive care.
“These new indications will also help GPs become more familiar and confident with prescribing the medication, further destigmatising abortion and hopefully encouraging provision of both abortion and miscarriage care by a larger number of practitioners in the community.”
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