Amid a wave of significant victories for reproductive rights in the United States, a foreboding sense of déjà vu has driven many women to stockpile emergency contraceptives and abortion pills. With another Donald Trump presidency on the horizon, concerns over restricted access to abortion and reproductive health care are sparking widespread precautionary measures among women across the country.
Social media platforms are flooded with posts urging women to “be prepared” by ordering emergency contraceptives and abortion pills, with users sharing concerns that the regulatory landscape could shift drastically.
Since the historic overturn of Roe v. Wade, abortion rights activists have seen an intensifying push by lawmakers to ban or criminalise abortion pills. Notably, in March 2023, Wyoming became the first state to outlaw these pills, although the law is currently stalled due to a lawsuit.
In Paris, Aid Access founder Rebecca Gomperts, whose organisation provides abortion pills by mail, witnessed a sudden surge in demand following the election announcement. Aid Access reportedly received over 5,000 requests in just 12 hours. This spike dwarfs the organisation’s usual volume, surpassing the surge seen after the fall of Roe v. Wade.
With thousands of women bracing for what many call a “reproductive apocalypse,” the pressure on reproductive health services is immense. The telehealth service Wisp reported a 300% jump in requests for emergency contraception, and the abortion pill locator Plan C experienced a staggering 625% spike in traffic, says USA Today.
The concern is not unfounded. During his last administration, Trump paved the way for the overturn of Roe with strategic Supreme Court appointments. Though he has flip-flopped on the idea of a national abortion ban, Trump’s judicial picks have allowed stringent abortion bans to withstand challenges in states like Texas. Advocates worry his return to the White House could further endanger reproductive rights by targeting the prescription and distribution of abortion pills, which now constitute the majority of abortions in the US.
For Aid Access, the demand far exceeds any previous uptick. The organisation has been preparing for this scenario since Trump’s initial presidency, establishing a streamlined process where doctors in states with legal abortion rights can prescribe and ship abortion pills to patients in restricted states, as reported by The Guardian.
The scramble extends beyond abortion pills. Demand for morning-after pills has skyrocketed. On November 6, Google searches for “Is the morning after pill legal?” surged by 700%, while phrases like “shelf life of morning after pill” and “abortion pill online” trended prominently. Wisp, which offers reproductive health services online, reported that sales of emergency contraception jumped by about 1,000%, and new patient orders rose by an extraordinary 1,650%.
The prospect of a contraceptive or abortion medication shortage is another looming fear. In response to the shifting regulatory environment, Wisp and similar telehealth providers are intensifying efforts to inform women about available resources.
In some states, legislation has already tightened; for instance, Louisiana now treats abortion medications like mifepristone as controlled substances, further complicating access.
Trump has been testy on the matter. When asked on how he voted on Florida's abortion measure, he did not answer and then asked the reporter to 'stop talking about it.'
Trump at 78 is the oldest man in to be elected to the White House and soon returns for a second term in January, 2025.
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