Medication Abortion Provision by Advance Practice Clinicians and Abortion Completeness
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By
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Sarah Averbach
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Michelle Luneau
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Sheila K. Mody
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Gennifer Kully
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Nicole E. Johns
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Vedavati Patwardhan
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Antoinette M. Marengo
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July 17, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Provision of Medication Abortions by Advanced Practice Clinicians and Assessment of Abortion Outcomes
At a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|
| Condition | Medication Abortion (MAB) |
| Key Mechanisms | Mifepristone and misoprostol administration for abortion |
| Target Population | Women seeking medication abortion less than 77 days' gestation |
| Care Setting | Planned Parenthood clinics in California |
Key Highlights
- APCs provided 58,473 MABs compared to 618 by physicians.
- Estimated effectiveness of MABs was 92.9% for APCs and 90.1% for physicians.
- Adverse events were low, with 0.2% requiring emergency department visits.
- No significant difference in abortion completeness between APCs and physicians.
- Study included a large cohort, enhancing generalizability.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
- Ultrasonography to confirm pregnancy dating.
Management
- Mifepristone followed by misoprostol for medication abortion.
Monitoring & Follow-up
- Follow-up transvaginal ultrasonography to assess for continuing pregnancy or retained products.
Risks
- Low rates of adverse events, with equivalent outcomes across clinician types.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Women aged approximately 26.8 years with a mean of 2.8 pregnancies.
Majority of patients paid with Medicaid (62.1%).
Clinical Best Practices
- Remove unsupported claims and ensure all practices are directly sourced.
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