In 2023, medication abortion emerged as the most common form of abortion in the United States, reflecting both the convenience and accessibility it offers. With evolving policies, telemedicine provision, and the continued demand for privacy and safety, understanding when and how medical abortion is recommended has become more critical than ever. Abortion in the United States has long been a controversial topic, but the increasing patchwork of state laws has made medical abortion all the more difficult to monitor.

Unlike surgical abortions that take place in clinics, medical abortions tend to occur in private locations with pills prescribed or even ordered over the internet something that makes it difficult to collect data. Throw in the recent round of restrictions and court battles, and researchers, policymakers, and clinicians are left with a distressing void: we just don't know how many medical abortions are being performed, where they are being performed, or what this looks like for women's health.

Although surgical abortion continues as a necessary procedure for specific circumstances, the growth of medication abortion has revolutionized reproductive health care by providing a safe and non-invasive alternative for termination during early pregnancy. This change also highlights the need for proper information, safe access, and quality follow-up care to provide positive health outcomes.

Latest figures from the Guttmacher Institute bring to fore that in the majority of U.S. states with less stringent abortion laws, medication abortion had represented 63% of total procedures offered during 2023. In Wyoming, as an example, 95% abortions were medication-related, with 84% taking the same route in Montana.

Even telemedicine is coming into play: an estimated 10% of medication abortions were provided solely online in states where telemedicine bans did not exist, with some states up to 60%. These trends highlight the importance of preserving and continuing access to abortion pills as an essential part of reproductive health care.

What is A Medical Abortion?

Medical abortion is a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure to end an early pregnancy, usually between 4 and 9 weeks. It uses a two-drug combination: mifepristone, to block progesterone required for continuing the pregnancy, and then misoprostol, which causes uterine contractions to pass the pregnancy. Dr. Rupali Mishra, sonologist and physician at Dr Rupali's Abortion Centre, describes, "Medical abortion is advised if the pregnancy is ensured to be intrauterine and the patient is medically fit".

This involves factors such as severe anemia, bleeding disorders, chronic asthma, or allergies to drugs. She reiterates that availability of follow-up care, such as ultrasound scans to exclude retained products of conception (RPOC), is fundamental to the safe outcome.

When Is Medical Abortion Recommended By The Physician?

Medical abortion is most effective in the early weeks of pregnancy. For pregnancies nine weeks or less, the procedure may frequently be carried out outside of hospital facilities by trained health-care practitioners like gynecologists, nurse-midwives, or certified midwives but outside of US that might be different like in India, No medical method abortions are carried outside the clinic and only at registered MTP centers, by qualified Gynecologist.

However, beyond nine weeks, there is no medical method of abortion that can be carried out in hospitals because risk is greater and complications may arise and only suction evacuation can take place. "Medical abortion is a convenient and non-invasive procedure, hence suitable for patients who value such factors," remarks Dr. Mishra.

The eligibility criteria too are medically oriented. The patient should not have ectopic pregnancy, severe chronic illnesses of heart, kidney, or liver function, or known contraindications to the medication. Written informed consent is legally mandatory in registered MTP centers to confirm understanding and safety of the patient.

Procedure and Follow-Up Care

After administration, patients can suffer from abdominal cramps, pain, and bleeding for 15–20 days. In most instances, there are no complications, but excessive bleeding, severe pain, or incomplete abortion can lead to a suction evacuation procedure. A follow-up ultrasound after about three weeks confirms the uterus is clear, marking the success of the procedure. Dr. Mishra states, "Even with high success rates, routine follow-up is critical to manage potential complications such as infection, prolonged bleeding, or retained tissue."

Safety Precautions and Possible Side Effects

Medical abortion is normally safe, but improper use or self-administration under unsupervised conditions can prove fatal. Heavy bleeding, incomplete abortion, infection, or, in exceptional cases, shock caused by undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy are serious side effects. Dr. Mishra cautions, "Selling abortion pills over the counter without a prescription is illegal and very risky. Medical supervision is a non-negotiable factor to avoid severe complications."

Medical Abortion vs. Surgical Abortion

Knowing the distinction between surgical and medical abortion enables proper patient decision-making. Surgical abortion is instant and appropriate for later gestation or incomplete medical abortion, whereas medication abortion is non-surgical and appropriate for early pregnancy. Both need follow-up for completion assurance and checking for complications.

What Role Telemedicine Play In Successful and Safe Abortion?

Telemedicine has revolutionized access to medication abortion, especially in states with less-restrictive laws. Virtual consultations with trained providers enable patients to get prescriptions and instructions without face-to-face visits, providing greater privacy and ease. However, according to Isabel DoCampo of the Guttmacher Institute, legal safeguards and access need to keep evolving in order to provide safe provision across states.

Medical abortion is safe, effective and becoming increasingly prevalent for the ending of early pregnancy if under qualified medical care.

Eligibility, procedure, and follow-up must be explained to patients so that safety and health can be assured. As reproductive health policy continues to change, maintaining access to safe abortion care—including medication and telemedicine—remains paramount. Open dialogue with objective medical professionals, coupled with adequate support and counseling, continues to be imperative for enabling individuals to make responsible decisions regarding their reproductive well-being.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes and is not medical or legal advice. Readers are urged to seek advice from qualified healthcare providers for medical advice and to consult state or federal authoritative resources for updates on the laws of abortion in the United States.

Many people struggle to fall asleep because their minds race with worries about the next day or even old memories. To stop this mental chatter, some try complicated breathing exercises or relaxation hacks. However, a simple neuroscience trick involving temperature might help you drift off instantly.

Neuroscientist Kyle Cox suggests that you can fall asleep in seconds simply by placing something cold on your forehead when you go to bed. He explains that this method has been backed by sleep clinics and can be highly effective.

Sleep Hack That Could Help You Sleep Quicker

Researchers have learned that the temperature right on your forehead controls whether your brain stays active or decides to rest.

When the front part of your brain, called the frontal lobe, gets cooled down by even a little bit, just one degree, it automatically tells your body to start producing the chemicals needed for sleep.

The cold also quickly slows down all that busy mental chatter because the part of your brain that handles thinking (the prefrontal cortex) literally cannot work as hard when it is being cooled down.

A 2018 study published in the Sleep Journal also found similar results through a device that that cooled the forehead temperature as a treatment for insomnia. The device improved things like the time it took to fall asleep compared to the patient's own baseline sleep and the time it took to enter different stages of light and deep sleep (NREM Stages 1 and 2).

The two-night treatment helped patients fall asleep faster according to most PSG measurements and was safe. The researchers recommend more studies to see if this treatment works for the longer-term management of insomnia.

General Tips for Treating Insomnia

If you struggle with sleep, the NHS (National Health Service) says that often the best cure is to change your daily sleep habits. If you stick to a healthier routine, your insomnia usually gets much better over time.

Keep a Schedule

Go to bed and set your alarm to wake up at the exact same time every day, even on weekends. This helps set your body's internal clock.

Wind Down

Start relaxing at least one hour before you plan to sleep. This could mean taking a warm bath, listening to calm music, or reading a physical book.

Optimize Your Room

Make your bedroom a perfect place for sleeping. It should be as dark and quiet as possible. Use heavy curtains, blinds, or even an eye mask and earplugs if needed.

Get Moving

Exercise is great for sleep, but do it regularly during the day, not right before bed.

Be Comfortable

Check that your mattress, pillows, and blankets are supportive and cozy so you can easily relax once you lie down.

Things You Should Avoid For Better Sleep

To sleep better, avoid things that keep you awake. Stop smoking, drinking caffeine or alcohol six hours before bed. Do not eat a large meal or exercise intensely late at night. Avoid screens right before bed, limit daytime naps, and always stick to your regular morning wake-up time.

Researchers have recently found that looking closely at the shape of the main buttock muscle, called the gluteus maximus, gives important clues about a person's health. This muscle shape reflects key changes linked to how we age, our lifestyle choices, and medical problems like diabetes.

This new study, done by a team at the University of Westminster, is unique because, unlike older research that only measured how big the muscle was, the team used advanced 3D mapping to show exactly where and how the muscle shape was changing.

These shifts, either the muscle shrinking (atrophy) or becoming inflamed, are connected to things like being frail, the amount of time someone sits each day, fat storage and diabetes risk.

How Do Muscle Changes Indicate Diabetes Risk?

the research analysed a large dataset, looking at over 61,000 MRI scans taken from the large U.K. Biobank health database.

Along with the MRI images, the dataset also included detailed information on 86 different factors for each person, including their medical history, body measurements, and what kind of lifestyle they led.

By putting all this data together, the team was able to figure out which specific factors were strongly linked to changes in the shape of the buttock muscle over time.

The analysis revealed strong connections between muscle shape and certain health factors:

Fitness

People who were considered fitter, meaning they reported doing more vigorous physical activity and had a stronger hand grip, tended to have a greater gluteus maximus shape. This often means the muscle was larger and more defined.

Aging and Frailty

On the other hand, factors like getting older, being generally frail (weak), and spending many hours sitting were all linked to muscle thinning or shrinkage. This suggests that a lack of use and the natural process of aging reduce the muscle's size and fullness.

How Gender Affects Muscle Responses

A very important discovery was that the gluteal muscles don't change in the same way for men and women, especially when they are dealing with a disease. For example, men who were considered frail showed more shrinkage (thinning) in their gluteus maximus compared to women who were also frail.

When the researchers examined Type 2 diabetes, the difference was even more noticeable: diabetic men showed clear muscle thinning (reduced muscle mass), while diabetic women often showed enlarged muscle mass.

This larger appearance in women is likely due to fat building up within the muscle tissue, rather than the muscle itself growing stronger. These differences strongly suggest that the body's biological response to diseases like Type 2 diabetes may be completely different between men and women.

What Does Your Glute Shape Reveal About Health??

The researchers conclude that the shape of the buttocks, rather than simply its size, is more closely connected to fundamental metabolic changes happening in the body. Because the gluteus maximus is one of the largest muscles in the body, its health plays a crucial role in overall metabolic health.

These findings suggest that tracking gluteal muscle shape could potentially become a new way to monitor metabolic health and disease risk.

The NHS will not be automatically inviting all men above a certain age to check for prostate cancer, unlike the approach for some other cancers. The UK National Screening Committee has suggested that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test should only be actively offered to men carrying the BRCA gene mutation, which increases their risk. Still, men can request a PSA test from their GP in certain situations.

Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy, who has received a terminal diagnosis, is among those campaigning for men with known risk factors to be invited for a PSA test at a certain age, even if they do not have any symptoms.

Prostate Cancer Screening: What Is The PSA Test?

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test checks the level of PSA in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate, a small gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder. The prostate produces the fluid part of semen.

The NHS says the test might be suggested if you notice symptoms that could point to prostate cancer, such as:

• urinating more often than usual, feeling a sudden urge to pee, or waking up frequently at night to urinate
• blood in your urine
• difficulty getting or maintaining an erection

However, for most men, urinary symptoms are caused by something other than cancer.

A PSA test is usually carried out at a hospital or GP surgery by a nurse or other healthcare professional. Men are asked to avoid certain activities for 48 hours before the test, as these can temporarily raise PSA levels and affect the result. Activities to avoid include anything that leaves you out of breath, like strenuous exercise.

If a man’s PSA level comes back high, they may be offered a repeat test to see if the levels remain raised. If they do, the GP may refer them to a specialist for further investigations, such as a biopsy or an MRI scan.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Why Is The PSA Screening So Controversial?

PSA levels can rise for many reasons, including minor infections, and around 75% of men with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer. A high reading can lead to referrals for unnecessary biopsies or MRI scans, or treatment for tumours that might never have caused harm.

The PSA test can also miss aggressive cancers. Research has shown that roughly 15% of men with a normal PSA result may actually have prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Who Can Currently Get The PSA Test?

Routine PSA testing is not offered as standard on the NHS. You might be offered a test if a doctor suspects symptoms that could indicate prostate cancer. Men undergoing treatment for a prostate condition may be offered regular PSA checks to monitor how treatment is progressing.

Men aged 50 and over can request a PSA test from their GP, even without symptoms. Campaigners say many men are unaware that they are at higher risk of prostate cancer and should be actively encouraged to think about having a PSA check.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Who Else Could Get It?

If the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation is approved by the Government next year, men with the BRCA gene mutation could also be invited for a PSA test. Men who think a family member might have had the BRCA gene mutation can request a genetic test on the NHS to find out.