DIY abortion is when a woman performs her own abortion using abortion pills.

In March 2020, in response to the pandemic, the “pills by post” scheme was introduced. This allowed women to have a phone consultation with an abortion provider and to receive abortion pills through the post. This was meant to be a temporary measure, but was made a permanent policy in England, Scotland and Wales in early 2022.

Performing an abortion at home puts a huge burden on women. Kevin Duffy, a former employee of the abortion provider Marie Stopes International who now campaigns against abortion, explains why the term “DIY” accurately describes home abortion:

• The woman self-refers to the abortion provider, she initiates the contact without needing to involve her GP.
• The woman shares her medical history in response to a set of scripted questions from the abortion provider, which could be done using an online form just as easily as on the phone.
• The woman self-assesses the gestation of her pregnancy based on her recall of the first day of her last period. She decides if this period was “normal”.
• The woman self-assesses if she has any indications of an ectopic pregnancy, in response to a couple of questions from the provider.
• The woman self-administers the abortion pills following the instructions in the treatment pack.
• The woman self-assesses if the abortion pills are working e.g., is she bleeding enough or is she bleeding too much.
• The woman self-manages the expulsion of the embryo/foetus and the disposal of the remains.
• The woman self-manages her pain and discomfort during the abortion.
• The woman is the one watching out for any indications of complications and is the one who, in up to 5% of cases, decides it is time to go to hospital for help.
• The woman self-assesses if her pregnancy has ended by considering her symptoms and using a pregnancy test.