UOL: Increasing Access to Medical Abortion Pills Without Leaving Home with Co-Founder of Plan C, Amy Merrill

Plan C's message untangles this safe, modern #21stcenturyabortion option from politics and repositions it where it has always belonged: in the hands of the people who need it.

Did you know that there’s a modern method to ending an early pregnancy that doesn’t involve going into a clinic or doctor’s office?

Abortion pills are a combination of medications used up to 11 weeks from a missed period, FDA-approved over 20 years ago — and thanks to new telehealth services, now you can do an online consultation or intake and get the pills shipped directly to your front door.

These services are affordable and convenient, the method is proven safe for self-use, and hotline support is just a text or phone call away.

And even in states where abortion is restricted, and where advocates and justice groups push to maintain access to rightful health care, services like humanitarian organization AidAccess.org exist to ensure access for those who need it, right now.

All of this information and more can be found at Plan C’s website: a nonprofit information campaign dedicated to spreading information on this revolutionary health technology and reducing barriers to access.

Plan C drives research and new narratives around abortion care, like the recent “Road trip to end all road trips” to educate Texans on their ability to go online, in advance of the latest and most severe abortion ban to date.

The Plan C Guide to Pills  is a leading resource connecting individuals to sources of pills and information on how to safely use them no matter their zip code, and Plan C’s programs for partners, ambassadors, and medical providers power the movement.

In short: choosing to end an early pregnancy can be as simple as regaining your period with five little pills. Knowledge is power, and together we can spread the word about this method and take our power back.

Learn more and join the movement and follow Plan C on Instagram @plancpills.

Stay tuned for more collaboration between Plan C and Nyssa!

artwork: georgia o'keefe

Amy Merrill is co-founder and digital director of Plan C. She started the campaign in 2015 as a strategist and creative alongside three public health researchers, under a vision of universal access to abortion pills.

image credit: tom kubik

Unmentionables Out Loud is a monthly series centered around our mission to break the silence surrounding taboo topics. We’ll share your real and raw experiences— the things we still don’t talk about enough to open our minds and hearts to greater knowledge and empathy. We’re passing the mic to YOU. Let’s get loud.