carafem

Founded by Christopher Purdy and Melissa Grant, carafem provides birth control and abortions through the use of telemedicine and in-person clinics. carafem was founded in 2013.

We wanted to talk about abortions in a way that didn't feel like we had to speak in hushed tones, or that people would feel ashamed of the services. -Melissa Grant

A carafem advertisement.

carafem approaches the issue of abortion with compassion and aims to destigmatize it and make it a normalized procedure. carafem refers to people seeking its services as clients instead of patients. The company is known for its upfront advertisements about its abortion services and its accompanying tagline: "Abortion. Yeah, We Do That." The ads have been met with resistance over the years, and various companies have removed or refused to run carafem ads due to the political divisiveness of abortion. Google called the ads "non-family safe."

Before a carafem telemedicine appointment, clients fill out a medical history form and go over the informed consent process with a provider. They join a private virtual waiting room on a secure video conference platform where they are joined by a care coordinator. The client and care coordinator discuss the client's health history and the abortion medication, including how it works, how to tell if it works, when to take it, and the follow-up process. Then a licensed physician enters the call to review the instructions and informed consent process with the client before approving the medication prescription. The medication arrives in an unmarked box and is usually received within one to three days, or sooner with expedited shipping. Along with the Mifeprex medication, carafem includes other things in the package such as herbal tea, mints, anti-nausea and pain medications, a heating pad, a pregnancy test, and more.

A few days after a client is scheduled to take the medication, carafem contacts them to ask questions about the abortion process, like how much bleeding they experienced and if they still felt pregnant. carafem says less than 0.4 percent of its clients require additional medical treatment after the abortion process. The appointment and medication costs between $250 and $375. Financial assistance is available for qualifying clients, and carafem accepts private insurance as well as Medicaid in some of its locations. carafem's telemedicine option is available in the states of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Vermont.

Along with the telemedicine route, clients can make an in-person appointment for a surgical abortion at one of carafem's clinics. carafem has four clinics, located in the cities of Atlanta, Chevy Chase, Skokie, and Mt. Juliet. carafem's clinics are intended to be as relaxing and unintimidating to the client as possible. This is shown in the design of the clinic, which has wood-paneled walls, natural lighting, couches instead of chairs, and a generally comfortable atmosphere; as well as through carafem's thoughtful practices including sending clients home with pink bags with mints and tea, like what is sent with the telemedicine package, and spacing out appointments for privacy and comfort. carafem's surgical abortion costs between $550 and $700, depending on the clinic's location.