{"id":138973,"date":"2025-10-16T14:02:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/?post_type=bu-article&p=138973"},"modified":"2025-10-16T14:02:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:02:13","slug":"new-study-highlights-need-for-increased-physician-training-to-care-for-patients-following-self-managed-medication-abortion","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/news-events\/articles\/2025\/new-study-highlights-need-for-increased-physician-training-to-care-for-patients-following-self-managed-medication-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Highlights Need for Increased Physician Training to Care for Patients Following Self-Managed Medication Abortion"},"content":{"rendered":"\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Study Highlights Need for Increased Physician Training to Care for Patients Following Self-Managed Medication Abortion<\/strong>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n
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As more states restrict clinician-managed abortion in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization, the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, more patients are pursuing self-managed medication abortion (SMMA). Definitions of SMMA can vary, but SMMA typically refers to the use of mifepristone and\/or misoprostol to induce abortion outside of a clinical context. Despite the 97% completion rate and excellent safety record of a medication abortion, patients who pursue SMMA sometimes experience symptoms that prompt them to visit an emergency department or primary care clinic for evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While most emergency and primary care physicians are willing to provide post-SMMA care, a new study<\/a> finds that knowledge gaps exist, and more training is needed. Furthermore, physicians at Catholic health systems may feel curtailed in their ability to provide post-SMMA care to their patients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIn the evolving landscape of abortion care, educational efforts should prepare physicians in all specialties to care for patients post-SMMA,\u201d says corresponding author Xanthia Tucker<\/a>, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an effort to investigate the practices, confidence, knowledge and attitudes related to post-SMMA care among emergency medicine (EM), family medicine (FM), and internal medicine (IM) physicians, researchers invited 505 EM, FM, and IM physicians at an academic medical center and Catholic non-profit health system in Michigan to complete a confidential online survey. Michigan is a state with legal access to abortion and more than 20% Catholic hospital beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey contained four sections assessing exposure to and confidence in caring for patients after spontaneous miscarriage, clinician-managed medication abortion, and SMMA; knowledge of eight signs and symptoms following medication abortion; attitudes toward post-SMMA care; and participant demographics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among their findings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n