The sites, some registered overseas, are distinct from U.S.-based telehealth operators that prescribe and sometimes ship abortion pills to patients in states that allow the procedure.

Sites selling abortion drugs without a prescription charge as much as $500 for a pack of abortion pills. Medical support isn’t included.

The websites provide access to pills for patients who can’t reach a clinic, or who live in states where telehealth consultations for abortion aren’t allowed, abortion-rights advocates said. But the unregulated market creates risks, they said, including that the pills arrive too late to be used effectively. People who buy abortion pills online without a prescription could face criminal charges, particularly in states that restrict the procedure, legal experts said.

Some health experts expressed concerns about websites potentially selling bogus drugs or not providing adequate information and medical support. “You don’t know what you’re getting,” said Al Carter, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which represents state pharmacy boards.