<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A US court has prohibited </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/abortions-are-up-in-the-us-its-a-complicated-picture-as-women-turn-to-pills-travel/04ec46be-8a51-4455-a099-b3412053c557" rel="" target="" title="sending a common drug through the mail"><span>sending a common drug through the mail</span></a><span>, in a move that will dramatically reduce access to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/abortion" rel="" target="" title="abortion"><span>abortion</span></a><span> across the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans issued a sweeping national ban on mailing prescriptions of mifepristone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The drug, formerly known as RU486, is the most common method of terminating a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/pregnancy" rel="" target="" title="pregnancy"><span>pregnancy</span></a><span> in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="USA"><span>USA</span></a><span>, as well as in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australia"><span>Australia</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-to-withdraw-5000-troops-from-germany-in-next-612-months-fulfilling-trumps-threat/738bcf41-6738-4769-a00a-f2f63b36966e"><strong><span>US to withdraw 5000 troops from Germany, fulfilling Trump's threat</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is taken along with misoprostol as part of a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-election-2024-trump-snaps-at-reporter-when-asked-about-abortion-vote/dc67ff24-eda6-4bfd-a29b-24eaf1ebf313" rel="" target="" title="medical termination of a pregnancy"><span>medical termination of a pregnancy</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After the US Supreme Court struck down a constitutional right to an abortion in 2022, seeking a mifepristone prescription across state lines has become common.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Women in states where abortion is illegal would access the pills via a telehealth appointment across state lines.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/mifepristone-us-court-abortion-drug-pill-pregnancy-termination-usa-politics-news/60ec0b02-cd5e-4365-bc0c-5bc5d8937167" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About a quarter of abortions in the US are made after such a telehealth appointment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the ruling by the appeals court would mean pregnant women would need to receive the pills in person.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Abortion is illegal with limited exceptions in much of the US, especially in the southeast of the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/paracetamol-in-pregnancy-study/2a57a855-6b5c-41d2-a8a7-e65b4b0305f5"><strong><span>Scientists dismiss 'poor' claims about paracetamol's links to autism</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren described the ruling as being done by "a conservative court packed with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Trump-appointed judges"><span>Trump-appointed judges</span></a><span>".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a page straight out of extremist Republicans' anti-abortion playbook," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Let me be clear: the abortion pill is safe and effective."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ruling was made by a three-judge panel, all appointed to the court by Republicans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Democratic Senator Patty Murray said the judges' decision was "infuriating and infantilising".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A patient in rural Washington who was going to receive her medication by mail, now has to find a clinic, take time off work, arrange childcare, and travel - sometimes hours - for a pill she could have safely taken at home," Murray said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A woman managing a miscarriage will be forced to make that same trip in the middle of one of the worst weeks of her life."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-to-withdraw-5000-troops-from-germany-in-next-612-months-fulfilling-trumps-threat/738bcf41-6738-4769-a00a-f2f63b36966e"><strong><span>US to withdraw 5000 troops from Germany, fulfilling Trump's threat</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, Republican Senator James Lankford celebrated the decision.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The Biden administration endangered the lives of women and girls by removing safeguards for mifepristone," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Today's Fifth Circuit decision takes a big step to right this wrong. Let's make sure women and girls are protected from this dangerous drug."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Louisiana Attorney-General Liz Murrill described the ruling as a "victory for life".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The Biden abortion cartel facilitated the deaths of thousands of Louisiana babies (and millions in other states) through illegal mail-order abortion pills," she said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Today, that nightmare is over."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the ruling was made in Louisiana, it applies nationwide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is likely to be appealed to the US Supreme Court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-ilhan-omar-married-brother-myth-usa-politics-news/2c8cf658-105c-4429-89c8-314d52747a72" rel="" target="" title="Trump accuses congresswoman of sickening crime"><strong><span>Trump accuses congresswoman of sickening crime</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>