US women turn to mail-order abortions after Republican lawmakers force many clinics to close

It's being trialled in four states so far

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

With abortion access in the US falling at the fastest pace on record, women looking to terminate their pregnancies are now turning to mail-order pills.

Pregnant women remotely consult with an abortion provider using a webcam, before undergoing a basic medical screeing.

Qualifying candidates are then sent two abortion-inducing pills the next day, provided they are in their first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

One woman - known only as Marie - told The New York Times: "I was happy that I was going to be able to do it myself and I did not have a nurse there or doctors there staring at me and judging me."

She is one of a number of people taking part in a small and closely watch study to find out whether the procedure can be carried out safely at home.

She had them delivered to her home in Hawaii, and had to wait a few days until she could get time off from her job at McDonalds.

Marie took the first pill one day, and the second the next morning, when bleeding and cramping began.

She described the pain as a five on a 10-point scale, then went back to work the next day.

The study is taking place in Hawaii, New York, Oregon, and Washington, and is funded by a non-profit health group.

No-one so far in the FDA study has reported any side-effects.

Mail-order abortions are already available in Australia and the Canadian province of British Columbia.

International organisations also distribute medication in countries where abortion is not available.

But the ability to have an abortion in the US depends heavily on your location and financial resources to travel.

One provider has closed every two weeks in the US, as states like Texas pass sweeping clinic regulations that force some providers to shutter.