New Delhi, India

A federal court on the western shore of Guam has cleared the way for 'tele-abortion' to boost reproductive rights for women.

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It said in a statement, “The undisputed evidence before the court all points to the fact that a live, face-to-face video conferencing is comparable to, and may even have some benefits over, in-person communication.”

The women on the island can now be prescribed abortion medication without restrictions such as the need for guidance through face-to-face videoconferencing and travelling offshore.

Also read | 'Watershed moment': Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalises abortion

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Being a predominantly Catholic community, abortion has been a contentious issue on the island despite being legal.

Women living on the island had to seek services off the island to end their pregnancies. 

They had to take an eight-hour flight to Hawaii and spend $1000 to $3000 for the procedure.

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Hawaii-based physicians Dr. Bliss Kaneshiro and Shandhini Raidoo had filed a lawsuit for the remote supply of abortion pills to women in Guam.

The doctors were unable to provide abortion service despite being licensed from Guam due to the ''in-person communication'' requirement.