Can I get the abortion pill without a script?

Medication abortion can be a convenient option to end an early pregnancy as it allows you to have the abortion in the privacy of your own home. However, the process for accessing the medication (MS2STEP) is not quite as simple as many people believe it to be - there are a few steps to the process.

Steps for a medication abortion

Most doctors will require you to have both a blood test and an ultrasound dating scan before they will prescribe the medication needed for a home abortion. These tests are needed to confirm how many weeks pregnant you are (gestation) and to check for an ectopic pregnancy (this is when the pregnancy is developing outside the uterus).

Where can I go for a medication abortion in Victoria?

If you live in the Melbourne metropolitan area you can attend a private abortion clinic where they can do the blood test, ultrasound and give you the medication all in the one visit.

Alternatively, you could see a GP that prescribes the medication. In Victoria only 10% of GPs provide medication abortion so they can be tricky to find. This is where 1800 My Options comes in. We can help you find your nearest medication abortion provider that best suits your needs.

If you are going through a GP, it will require two separate visits - first visit to request referrals for a blood test and ultrasound dating scan and second visit (after you’ve got your test results back) to receive the prescription for the medication.

Some public hospitals also provide medication abortion, but as with GPs, you would need to have the blood test and ultrasound done beforehand.

How long does this all take?

Having a medication abortion generally takes a lot longer than most people expect. Firstly, you need to take into consideration the time it may take to get appointments with services. Availability for appointments is often more limited in rural areas where there are less health services.

How long it takes, can also depend on the gestation of the pregnancy (how many weeks you are). While blood tests can be done from anytime you return a positive pregnancy test, ultrasounds are not normally done until at least 6 weeks of pregnancy (as they cannot get a clear enough image before 6 weeks).

Once you have the medication, the actual abortion process takes several days as it involves taking two separate lots of medication, taken 36-48 hours apart.

So, with all these factors, a medication abortion can take some time.

For more information about medication abortion and services please call us or talk to us over webchat. We’re here Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm - call1800 696 784, email info@1800myoptions.org.au or message us on web chat!