The ultrasound rule came under scrutiny in recent months after a series of Globe and Mail stories documented how Canadian women have been forced to wait weeks for a prescription because they had to have a scan
Women no longer need an ultrasound before getting the abortion pill, a change that experts say will reduce wait times and speed access, particularly in smaller communities.
The ultrasound rule has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months, after a series of stories in The Globe and Mail that documented how women across the country have been forced to wait weeks for an abortion-pill prescription because they had to have a scan.In its announcement, Health Canada said the change “responds to concerns that some patients may have been facing unnecessary barriers or delays in accessing this product.
“We think this is a terrific answer to the calls that rural health-care providers have been making across the country to be able to help the women that they see,” she said.In Canada, the abortion pill can only be prescribed during the first nine weeks, so ultrasounds are used to determine how far along the pregnancy is. Scans are also used to rule out ectopic pregnancies, when the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, often in the Fallopian tube.
The product monograph for Mifegymiso is not a binding document, but many health providers adhere to what it says. For instance, even after Canada’s national abortion-pill prescribing guidelines, published in 2016, stated ultrasounds are not necessary, many providers were reluctant to follow that guidance because of the language in the product monograph.
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