With Delaware abortion providers in demand post-Roe, new telehealth option may fill gaps
Nearly a year and a half after Roe v. Wade was overturned, people seeking abortions continue to flock to Delaware, where the right is enshrined in state law.
The expansion of an online reproductive health care provider into the First State Monday aims to provide another option to those in need of services.
Delaware likely saw the highest jump in legal abortions among East Coast states in the first half of 2023 compared with the same time period in 2020, according to data from The Guttmacher Institute. It's led to increased wait times for abortion services in Delaware, both for residents and those coming from states where abortion is illegal.
Hey Jane, like other telehealth providers, seeks to alleviate that wait time. The provider offers consultations for medication abortions, emergency contraceptives, birth control and treatment for vaginal infections in 20 states, according to the company's website. All prescriptions are then mailed, and many are covered by insurance.
Medication abortions, which involve taking pills to end a pregnancy, account for over half of abortions in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that medication abortions are safe within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
What exists in Delaware?
Hey Jane is far from the only telehealth provider of medication abortions in Delaware. There are six other online providers in the state, according to AbortionFinder.org, in addition to in-person providers like Planned Parenthood. Telehealth providers can help fill in gaps for people living in rural areas without access to in-person clinics, as well as provide faster care, Hey Jane said.
Unlike in-person providers that typically offer services to people coming to Delaware from other states, patients must have an in-state mailing address to receive medication from telehealth companies like Hey Jane. However, residency in the state is not always required.
"Our goal has always remained the same: to make virtual reproductive and sexual health care, including abortion care, accessible to as many people as possible, and this launch signifies a significant step forward," said Hey Jane co-founder and CEO Kiki Freedman.
Have questions about your abortion rights?
The Delaware Department of Justice operates an abortion legal helpline for anyone with questions about their rights and the options available to them. Assistance can be requested by calling 302-992-8096 or toll-free at 877-312-2366.
Questions can also be submitted online on the attorney general's website.
WHAT TO KNOW: Delaware saw one of the highest increases in legal abortions in 2023 so far: Press Room
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Telehealth option for medication abortion Hey Jane expands to Delaware
