Women and adolescents are increasingly obtaining abortifacient medicines through informal routes including online services, pharmacies, hotlines and drug sellers , although this trend and the current incidence have not been well documented. Research gaps can be summarized in three broad categories: women's preferences and experiences with self-use of medical abortion, the distribution and provision of medical abortion information and drugs, and clinical outcomes following self-use. For each of these three broad groups, we identify specific research questions varying in level of detail by the contexts they reflect.