By Lara Munn –

Anyone who has clutched the hand of a friend while sitting in the sterile and clinical environment of an abortion clinic will know how heart wrenching it is to let go when the doctor calls them in. Even for women who have come to terms with their decision, they are still walking into a psychologically challenging situation as well as a surgical procedure.

The approval of RU486, otherwise known as the “Abortion Pill” shook up the Australian society recently. Abortion is always a hot topic within the media and understandably so, as it is one that is delicate and brings out some sort of opinion in almost everyone.

It is important to remember that RU486 isn’t some sort of new, revolutionary pill that will be available on the shelf of the grocery store for any age to just pick up at any time of the day or night. RU486 has been available in Australia since 2006 but the power to prescribe the drug was allowed to very few practitioners most of whom were based in capital cities.

Now, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), alongside the family-planning group Marie Stopes International have simplified the process. General practitioners will have to undergo training provided by Marie Stopes, which will allow them access and permission to prescribe the drug to women.

For me it was little under six months ago that I was joking with my friend over lunch that there was no way either of us would be ready to be pregnant despite being almost 21. It didn’t take long for the atmosphere to change when her face dropped and admitted that she probably had to take a test – she was two weeks late, sick of worrying and as she put it, “Probably worrying my period even further away.” (For those who don’t know, your period can be late due to stress amongst other things.)

It wasn’t the first time I’d bought a pregnancy test, but it would be the first time I would hear the deadly silence through the public restroom door after the 2-5 minute test was finished up. What followed was – quick tears, a few discussions between us and a call to Marie Stopes.

My friend was 21 and whilst she was quite stable in her job, she was not in a relationship with the father of the baby and was not even mildly financially stable enough to care for a child.

I took her into the Marie Stopes clinic about a week later. She had come to terms with her decision very quickly – she had been in an unfortunate situation which including the breaking of a condom and the failure of the morning-after pill. She hadn’t cried since the shock of finding out and when the doctor asked her if she was sure about her decision, she replied with a firm, “One hundred and ten per cent.” She knew one day she’d make a great mother, but it wasn’t her time.

Yet sitting in a doctor like clinic in the middle of no-where clutching my hand, she was still a scared young adult. She had to go into a procedure that would require her to be under anaesthetic. I would have to drive her home afterwards. She would probably be in a certain amount of pain after the procedure.

The drug RU486 should not be in the forefront of pro-life or pro-choice debates. It is not enabling more abortions. It is something that has been available in France since 1988. It is a drug that allows for harm-minimization for women who choose to have an abortion – both physically and mentally.

Abortion is already legal in Australia. The fact that a drug that makes the process of abortion less invasive, less intimidating and safer for a woman should be enough to make any reasonable person understand why it has become more readily available in Australia.

In 2009, approximately 36% of the abortions in Australia were for women under the age of 24. The choice of abortion is not easy for any woman but can be especially mentally challenging for young adults. RU486 provides a less invasive and safe choice for any young woman in Australia who finds herself evaluating her options.

The controversy surrounding this “Abortion Pill” could, in my eyes, be lessened with a little education. Belittling it as something an irresponsible woman will use as a form of contraception is ignorant and demeans the enormous achievement both the TGA and Marie Stopes have made.

If the wider circulation of RU486 means just one more woman will be able to have the option of taking two pills under supervision in a clinic, rather than having to walk into a surgical procedure scared and alone, then I think it is an incredible success.