POSTER ABSTRACTS Article Swipe
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· 2021
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.07.033
· OA: W4200189167
Objectives: Mifepristone became available for first trimester medical abortion (FTMA) in Canada in 2017. Additionally, regulations allow pharmacies to dispense mifepristone directly to patients, facilitating telemedicine. Our objective was to explore the provision of telemedicine for FTMA in 2019. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, national, self-administered, English and Frenchanonymized REDcap survey of physicians and nurse practitioners who provided abortion care in Canada in 2019. Invitations were sent through professional health organizations using a modified Dillman technique. Questions elicited provider demographics, abortion provision including FTMA telemedicine, and perceived barriers. We used R software for descriptive statistics. Results: FTMA provision was reported by 365 participants across Canada. Among those, 44.1% reported using telemedicine for FTMA, the majority being family physicians (77.0%). Telemedicine was used for initial consultation (85.2%), to review results (81.5%) and for follow-up (91.1%). For initial assessment, ultrasound was required for all patients by 43.5% of respondents, serum βhCG testing by 72.1%, and urine hCG by 43.6%. To assess abortion completion, ultrasound was used by 11.9% of respondents and serum βhCG testing by 82.2%. Barriers to providing FTMA by telemedicine were perceived by 76.6% of respondents; most commonly the inability to confirm gestational age by ultrasound where the patient resides. Conclusions: Although most respondents perceived barriers to telemedicine FTMA in 2019, almost half reported providing some aspects of their care via telemedicine. Our results will inform knowledge translation activities to reduce barriers and increase accessibility of abortion care in Canada and abroad.
