Table 1 Summary of participants’ most recent self-managed abortion attempts
ID | State of residence at most recent SMA (current state of residence, if different) | Race/ethnicity | Approximate year of most recent SMA | Approximate age at most recent SMA | Pregnancy test prior to SMA | SMA method | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Arkansas | Non-Hispanic white | 2014a | 23 | No | 3 cups parsley tea, 2000 mg vitamin C, 1 cup of chamomile tea daily for 2–5 days | Negative home pregnancy test after SMA |
2 | California | Non-Hispanic white | 2010 | 15 | Yes | Took 3–4 oral contraceptive pills at once | Negative pregnancy test at clinic after passing the pregnancy |
3 | California | Non-Hispanic white | 2017 | 36 | Yes | Drank 2 smoothies per day (including 5 10 mg tablets of cinnamon, 5 2000% daily value vitamin C tablets, a whole papaya, and half a pineapple) over 2 weeks | Clinic abortion |
4 | California | Non-Hispanic white | 2011 | 37 | No | Vitamin C tablets over 1–5 days | Return of period |
5 | Florida | Non-Hispanic white | 2015 | 25 | Yes | 6000 mg vitamin C and 3–4 capsules of dong quai daily for 1.5 weeks | Clinic abortion |
6 | Illinois | Non-Hispanic Black | 2017 | 26 | Yes | Took 3–4 ibuprofen and antibiotics pills a few times over several days (up to 1 week) | Clinic abortion |
7 | Louisiana | Non-Hispanic Black | 2004a | 24 | Yes | 4–10 Humphrey’s 11 menstrual regulation pills daily for about 4 days | Clinic abortion |
8 | Maryland (Texas) | Non-Hispanic white | 2008a | 22 | No | Liquid drops of black cohosh and rosehips herbs daily for 4 days | Return of period |
9 | Ohio | Non-Hispanic white | 2015 | 32 | No | 4 pills vitamin C daily for 2 days, 2 tablespoons of gingerroot on first day | Miscarriage/return of period |
10 | Ohio | Non-Hispanic white | 2014 | 18 | Yes | Drank vodka over 3–4 h | Negative home pregnancy test after SMA |
11 | Ohio | Non-Hispanic white | 2013a | 27 | No | Took 2 vitamin C (2000% DV) pills, drank parsley tea by steeping it in hot water, inserted parsley leaves in her vagina over 3 days, replacing the leaves regularly | Return of period |
12 | South Carolina | Non-Hispanic white | 2013 | 35 | Yes | Inserted a long plastic spoon into her vagina | Continued pregnancy |
13 | Washington (California) | Non-Hispanic white | 2003 | 18 | Yes | Drank liquor, cough syrup, and over-the-counter Dramamine | Clinic abortion (was told embryo was non-viable) |
14 | Washington | Non-Hispanic white | 2005 | 18 | Yes | Antibiotics, Mountain Dew, ibuprofen, caffeine pills, alcohol | Miscarriage/return of period |