Watch: View of Supreme Court as it faces self-imposed deadline on abortion pill

Watch outside the Supreme Court on Friday 21 April as it is expected to act before a self-imposed deadline on whether access to an abortion pill will stay the same or be restricted.

The justices, who are a 6-3 conservative majority, are considering a lower court's decision to impose restrictions on the availability of mifepristone, which is used in the most common method of ending a pregnancy in the United States.

It comes after a Texas judge suspended approval of the drug earlier in April, claiming that the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) rushed to approve it 23 years ago without properly considering side effects.

Leading health organisations have found that the drug, as well as another abortion pill misoprostol, are safe and effective.

The US department of justice and mifepristone manufacturer Danco Laboratories have called on the Supreme Court to intervene and remove restrictions to the pill while the lower appeals court reviewed the case.

The Supreme Court had originally said it would decide by Wednesday, 19 April, whether restrictions would take effect while the case continues, but an order signed by Justice Samuel Alito on the same day gave the justices two additional days with no explanation.

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