On Wednesday, the news of Donald Trump’s presidential election win sent a wave of anxiety across the United States, particularly among those seeking reproductive and trans health services. Rebecca Gomperts, the founder of Aid Access—the country’s largest provider of abortion pills by mail—was in Paris with her team, ready for action. Despite the team’s usual remote operations, they had convened in person to prepare for potential surges in requests. Their preparations proved accurate as the outcome of the election sparked an overwhelming demand for services.
Unprecedented Demand for Abortion Pills
Following Trump’s victory, Aid Access saw an unprecedented spike in demand for abortion pills, with more than 5,000 requests within just 12 hours—far surpassing even the surge seen after the fall of Roe v. Wade. Gomperts noted that the influx was unlike anything they had experienced before. As she monitored requests, she observed a rapid increase in inquiries, confirming the heightened urgency among those seeking access to abortion services. “We’ve never seen this before,” she said.
This surge was not isolated to Aid Access; other healthcare providers also faced similar pressures. Wisp, a telehealth service for women’s health, reported a 300% rise in requests for emergency contraception, while Plan C, a site dedicated to locating abortion pills, saw its traffic skyrocket by 625%. Elisa Wells, the co-founder of Plan C, remarked that these spikes indicated that many individuals were bracing for what they anticipated would be a “reproductive apocalypse” under a Trump administration.
Prepared for a New Reality
For Gomperts and her team at Aid Access, the surge in demand wasn’t entirely surprising. Having expanded their international abortion pill service to the U.S. during Trump’s first term, they had long anticipated the potential challenges ahead. The service, which connects physicians in states where abortion is legal with patients in more restrictive states, had grown to a team of eight physicians operating across four states, supported by a round-the-clock help desk. Despite their preparedness, Gomperts acknowledged that the volume of requests on Wednesday was five times greater than a typical day.
Widespread Panic and Stockpiling of Abortion Pills
The fear surrounding reproductive rights extended beyond abortion pills. Wisp, a prominent online health provider, reported tripling its sales of emergency contraception by mid-morning on Wednesday, with bulk orders of Plan B rising sharply. Similarly, other women’s health services saw a dramatic increase in demand, with Winx, for example, selling six times more Plan B doses than it had in the previous week. Cynthia Plotch, co-founder of Winx, reflected on the growing awareness, stating, “Women are smart… We see what is coming, and we are protecting ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Crystal Beal, who operates QueerDoc—a service that provides hormone treatments to trans individuals—faced an overwhelming number of inquiries. Trans patients, concerned about losing access to hormones and gender-affirming care under a second Trump administration, reached out to Beal’s service in unprecedented numbers. By Wednesday afternoon, QueerDoc had received more messages than it typically handles in an entire week. Beal shared that many patients were considering stocking up on hormones or altering their legal documents to protect themselves, though she emphasized the personal nature of such decisions.
Standing Strong Amid Uncertainty
Despite the mounting uncertainty, the providers spoke to the resilience and determination of their patients. Beal reassured her clients that, regardless of the legal landscape, “trans people have always been here, and we will continue to persist.” Similarly, Wells, from Plan C, received a donation with a note of encouragement: “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” All the health providers emphasized their commitment to continuing services as long as they were legally able, with some even vowing to resist, should the law change.
In the face of a potentially hostile administration, the message from healthcare providers like Gomperts, Wells, Beal, and others is clear: they will not back down, and they will continue to fight for access to vital healthcare services, no matter the political landscape.
With inputs from online reports
Read More: What Would Trump’s Return Mean For Abortion Rights In US
