The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved women's access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion, rejecting lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues.

The court's order allows women seeking abortions to continue obtaining the drug, mifepristone, at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor.

Access is likely to remain uninterrupted at least until next year as the case plays out, including a potential appeal to the high court.