Self-managed abortion is when a person chooses to induce their own abortion outside of a clinical setting - this can be at home, or somewhere they feel safe. When we talk about self-managed abortion, we mean specifically medical abortion: using misoprostol and mifepristone, or misoprostol by itself according to medical guidelines. According to the World Health Organization, during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy a medical abortion can be safely self-managed by the pregnant person. However, for self-managed abortion to be safe, the woman or pregnant person has to have access to accurate information, quality medicines and support. Access to self-managed abortion is fundamental for the well-being of young people, and it is an advocacy priority for Youth Coalition.
