By
The Associated Press
PHOENIX - Planned Parenthood is set to begin distributing the abortion pill in portions of Arizona tomorrow.
The early-term abortion pill, known as Mifeprex, has been available since November in some parts of the country. At least three private practice family planning clinics in Arizona also have ordered it.
"It's a very nice option for many, many women," said Beth Weber, Planned Parenthood's medical services director in central and northern Arizona.
Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona has chosen to offer an alternative - a very early surgical abortion.
The drug, known as mifepristone, must be taken within the first seven weeks of pregnancy. A few days after the first dose, women must take a second drug known as misoprostol.
It costs about $450, a little more than a surgical abortion. Some insurance companies cover the cost.
The southern Arizona alternative, called "manual vacuum aspiration," can be performed as soon as eight days after conception. Women will no longer have to wait until six weeks into their pregnancies, as previously required for surgical abortion.
"We had planned all along to offer very early surgical abortion first, before medical abortion (the abortion pill), because it is a service more requested by our clients," said Patti Caldwell, president of Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona.
"We know there are 25 to 30 women every month who call our clinic, who know very early that they are pregnant, have decided to terminate the pregnancy and want to do it as soon as possible," Caldwell said.
In order to gear up to provide manual vacuum aspiration, Tucson's chapter will delay offering the abortion pill until March.
Planned Parenthood is expected to be the state's largest user of the pill, known in Europe as RU-486. The organization performed nearly half of the 13,000 abortions in Arizona last year.
Weber said the organization wants to establish some guidelines for its use, train staff members and prepare patient education packets before making the pill available to clients.
