On January 23, the Minister of Health, Ala Nemerenco, issued a detrimental order banning medical abortions via telemedicine, citing the absence of a regulatory framework for these services. This short-sighted decision forces medical institutions offering these crucial services to discontinue them, leaving many women without essential healthcare options.

The decision followed the receipt of an anti-abortion petition signed by just 18 individuals from various fields, which is concerning given the limited number of signatories. The petitioners warned that Moldova might become a “tele-abattoir for unborn children” and highlighted the country’s demographic crisis, but these claims are alarmist and overlook the critical healthcare needs of women.

Medical abortions via telemedicine, performed without pre-abortion ultrasound or vaginal examination, are available up to nine weeks of pregnancy with remote counseling. In 2023, there were 7,277 recorded abortions, 1,462 of which were medical, an increase of 192 from the previous year, indicating a growing reliance on these services.

WHO’s International OBGYN expert Rodica Comendant explained that telemedicine medical abortion services began in Moldova in 2020, when the Reproductive Health Training Centre received funding from the Canadian government to conduct a pilot study on the safety, acceptability, feasibility, and satisfaction of women regarding medical abortions via telemedicine. “We launched the study in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, making it the only option for many women to terminate unwanted pregnancies as hospitals were closed,” she noted. This vital service was a lifeline for many women during a time of crisis.

“In some regions, only the postal service could deliver the medication packages. Over a year, we managed to help around 500 women,” she continued. Concurrently, a group of specialists revised the safe abortion standards, incorporating telemedicine medical abortions in 2021, following WHO recommendations. This progress is now at risk due to the recent ban.

“The latest 2022 WHO recommendations state that telemedicine medical abortion is safe and effective, reduces costs and barriers, and should be integrated into the service delivery system,” Dr. Comendant explained. For telemedicine medical abortions, women sign informed consent and pay for the service online. The Women’s Health Centre Tara, where she is the director, offered these services with developed digital programs, ensuring accessibility and confidentiality.

“There are now numerous possibilities. During the pandemic, women signed informed consent online and on paper, which was sent back to us via Moldova Post. Everything was sealed, maintaining confidentiality. The delivery personnel did not know the contents of the packages. Now, we are forced to stop providing this service to comply with the Ministry of Health’s decision that has banned it,” she explained. This ban severely impacts women’s access to safe and confidential abortion services.

This controversial and regressive decision undermines the accessibility and safety of abortion services in Moldova, highlighting the ongoing struggle between traditional views and modern healthcare practices. It is a significant setback for women’s rights and healthcare in the country.