In 2025, Quebec witnessed a significant surge of nearly 80% in the utilization of the medical abortion pill, as per data from the Quebec public health insurance board, RAMQ. Last year, 2,852 women were reimbursed for using Mifegymiso, a notable increase from 1,586 in 2024. Mifegymiso enables individuals to undergo abortion naturally, eliminating the requirement for a surgical intervention.
Dr. Diane Francoeur, a renowned OBGYN and CEO of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, highlighted the global usage history of the medication but expressed concerns about Canada’s delayed adoption, particularly Quebec’s regulatory hurdles.
Quebec only eased restrictions around the medication in 2022, making it notably more accessible. However, the rise in medication abortions doesn’t necessarily indicate an overall increase in abortion rates, according to Francoeur. Instead, experts suggest that abortion rates in Quebec remain steady, attributing the spike in abortion pill prescriptions to its safety and enhanced availability.
Dr. Mathieu Bélanger, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval hospital, emphasized Quebec’s lag behind other Canadian provinces in adopting the abortion pill, highlighting the province’s recent strides towards improved accessibility.
After Health Canada’s approval of medication abortion in 2015, Quebec retained stringent prescribing guidelines that were swiftly discarded in most regions, except Quebec. The Quebec College of Physicians mandated doctors to undergo training for procedural abortions alongside requiring ultrasounds for patients seeking medical abortions, a practice criticized by Jess Legault, the general co-ordinator of Quebec’s family planning organization (FQPN).
Pressure from groups like FQPN and the evolving healthcare landscape prompted Quebec to implement a plan to enhance abortion access, as announced in 2024 by Martine Biron, the former minister responsible for the status of women. The plan outlined 28 measures focused on facilitating regional abortion access, combating misinformation, enhancing contraception information, and promoting research.
Presently, healthcare professionals such as doctors, specialized nurse practitioners, and midwives can prescribe the abortion pill, with telemedicine also emerging as a viable option in certain cases. Legault attributes the increasing numbers to enhanced information dissemination and clarifies misconceptions between emergency contraception and medication abortion.
Dr. Francoeur noted that the rise in pill usage could be linked to more women opting for the medication when experiencing a fetus that ceases to grow in the womb, offering an alternative to procedural abortions. While procedural abortions remain an option, the accessibility of care is crucial, ensuring timely interventions without prolonged waiting periods. Legault highlighted efforts to prioritize medication abortion access while maintaining essential procedures to avoid compromising necessary healthcare services.
