What the Supreme Court's abortion pill case could mean for California

That decision is often fraught.

"We see a lot of patients on lunch breaks," said Leah Coplon, a nurse-midwife and director of clinical operations at Abortion on Demand. "I feel like half the patients I see are sitting in their car."

'In the comfort of my own home'

Seeking pills through the mail can also be the only physically accessible option for disabled abortion-seekers.

"The disability community is very concerned about this, because this could result in complete denials of care," said Jillian MacLeod, reproductive justice legal fellow at the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, which filed a brief in support of telehealth abortion.

Still others say telehealth simply feels safer to them.

"I wanted to be able to do it in the comfort of my own home," said Charlie Ann Max, a Los Angeles model who took the pills earlier this year. "It felt the most safe."

With mifepristone under threat, some providers are looking at alternatives that would keep telehealth available to those who need it most. Many say that would mean prescribing only the second drug in the protocol, misoprostol, which is used to induce labor as well as for pregnancy termination.

"That would be the backup," said Dr. Jayaram Brindala of 145 Telehealth. "It's not ideal clinically, but still a good option for people who are in the first 13 weeks."

Gomez agreed. "It's very effective, but it's not what I would recommend for my sister or my best friend or my daughter," the doctor said.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California would stockpile the drug to maintain an emergency supply.

"Those who oppose abortion access have made it clear that they will not stop seeking new ways to roll back access and abortion rights across the country," state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said.

His Department of Justice will use "every tool" at its disposal to keep California a haven for reproductive healthcare, he said.

"No matter what happens in the mifepristone case in the Supreme Court, it's not going to be the end of our fight," Bonta said.