Two-thirds of aborted babies lost their lives to abortion pills, report finds

After a report found that nearly two-thirds of abortions are chemical, advocacy groups are pushing for national and local safeguards against mail-order abortion pill prescriptions.

The 2026 “Status of Abortion in the United States” report, an analysis of developments in abortion policy, found that chemical abortions account for 63% of all reported abortions in the U.S. as of 2023.

Mail-order pills, which can be shipped into every state, even if they are illegal, make chemical abortion easily accessible. State safeguards designed to protect women — such as required in-person physician visits — can be easily sidestepped.

But studies continue to show high rates of negative outcomes for women who take abortion drugs. Chemical abortion has a complication rate four times that of surgical abortion, one study found. According to a 2025 study, 1 in 10 patients had “a serious adverse event” and 6% of patients needed surgery.

The Trump administration has pledged to review the dangers of the abortion drug but has not restored safeguards that the Biden administration removed.

National Right to Life looks to establish accountability on the state and local level through legislation.

“This is a moment of stark contrast in America,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Some states are racing to entrench abortion at any cost, while others are advancing compassionate policies that recognize the humanity of unborn children and provide real support to mothers.”

The Abortion Pill Provider Liability and Education (APPLE) Act is “designed to hold abortion-pill providers accountable and give women legal recourse when harmed,” according to the Feb. 10 press release.

The report calls the model legislation a “fresh approach.”

“The APPLE Act empowers women to sue any party involved in the abortion pill supply chain — prescribers, sellers, manufacturers — when harm occurs,” the report read. “The goal is accountability and transparency.”

Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the removal of safeguards around abortion pill prescriptions was “reckless.”

“The abortion industry treats abortion pills like casual online purchases, though the reality is that they are far more dangerous,” Francis told EWTN News. “Known complications for women include hemorrhage, severe infection, and the need for emergency surgery.”

“Anyone can order them online — a woman, a minor, even an abuser — with no ID, no pregnancy verification, and zero medical supervision or follow‑up,” she continued.

The APPLE Act would ensure a public record of injuries and failures — something currently not in place, as abortion pill complications go underreported.

“This report makes clear that while Roe [v. Wade] is gone, the abortion industry has simply shifted tactics — relying heavily on dangerous mail-order pills and legal loopholes to avoid accountability,” Tobias said.

“At the same time, we’re seeing encouraging momentum in states working to protect both women and their unborn children,” Tobias continued. “The APPLE Act is one important step toward restoring transparency and responsibility in an industry that has operated for too long without either.”

So far, two states — Washington and Ohio — have introduced the APPLE Act.

“Because the APPLE Act is fundamentally consumer protection law, it has the potential to gain traction even in states that support abortion,” the report read.

“The truth about chemical abortion is becoming harder to ignore,” the report continued.

Francis urged the FDA to reinstate the safeguards.

“When the FDA recklessly scrapped the last remaining safeguards over these high-risk drugs, it opened the floodgates for extensive harm and abuse of both women and preborn children,” Francis continued. “The result is widespread and reckless distribution of these pills, thousands of preborn lives lost, and more women harmed because they were never given truly informed consent or afforded basic medical care and support.”

“This is medical malpractice, and it is time for the FDA to take this situation seriously and do its job by restoring essential safeguards,” she said.