Many individuals get the ‘morning after pill’ or emergency contraception confused with the abortion pill. Emergency contraception is taken immediately after unprotected sex and will work for a limited time. The abortion pill is taken within the first nine weeks of pregnancy and terminates a pregnancy that has taken effect. This is not contraception. It is also not a pill you can get at your local pharmacy and take at home. It is a set of two different medications, not one pill.
The second terminology to understand is the difference between a medical abortion and a surgical abortion. The ‘abortion pill’ is considered a medical abortion. A standard abortion where a procedure is performed in the doctor’s office or clinic and ends a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the mother's womb (uterus). Surgical abortion uses a vacuum to remove the fetus and related pregnancy material from the uterus. The procedure is most often done 6 weeks after the woman's last menstrual period or soon afterward when possible.
The best and safest way a woman can do an abortion herself until the 12th week of pregnancy is with the use of two medicines called Mifepristone (also known as the abortion pill, RU 486, Mifegyn, Mifeprex), and Misoprostol (also known as Cytotec, Arthrotec, Oxaprost, Cyprostol, Mibetec, Prostokos or Misotrol). Using Misoprostol (or Cytotec) alone to cause an abortion will be successful 90% of the time. If it is not effective the first time, you can try again after 3 days. The information is based on research by the World Health Organization.
Medical abortion requires two pills. The first, mifepristone, causes the embryo to detach from the uterine wall. Most women don't feel a thing. Two days later, a pill called misoprostol contracts the uterus to expel the embryo. You can expect heavy bleeding, with clotting and bits of tissue, to last about two weeks. The pills are only 95 percent effective. If you're in the unlucky 5 percent, you can do it again or opt to have a procedure.
First, your doctor gives you a dose of mifepristone tablets by mouth. Mifepristone causes theplacentato separate from theendometrium. It also softens thecervix and increases uterinecontractionsto allow the uterine contents to pass.
Second, you take tablets of misoprostol by mouth or insert them vaginally, usually within 48 hours of mifepristone. Depending on the dose and how it is given, this could be as soon as 6 hours after the mifepristone.Some doctors may give misoprostol buccally (dissolved between the gums and cheek). Misoprostol causes uterine contractions so that your body passes the uterine contents. Many doctors allow their patients to take misoprostol at home and then thepregnancyends (like amiscarriage) at home.
A medical abortion usually requires at least two visits to your doctor over several weeks. For the first visit, one medicine is taken during the visit and a second medicine is given to be taken at home. The second visit is a follow-up appointment, usually scheduled about 2 weeks after the first visit, to make sure the pregnancy has ended and no complications are present. If a medical abortion is not successful, a surgical abortion is then done to complete the process because misoprostol can cause fetal abnormalities.
Different locales may have local laws regarding the number of required doctor’s visits.
Misoprostol for medical abortion works best in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. After that, there is an increased risk of a complication and need for medical attention. Misoprostol causes contractions of the womb. As a consequence, the womb expels the pregnancy. A woman can get painful cramps, vaginal blood loss that is more than a normal menstruation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. There is a risk of heavy bleeding for which a woman will have to be treated by a doctor. Misoprostol is available in pharmacies in almost all countries.
While having the abortion, it is important to have someone close by; this can be the partner, a friend or a relative who knows about the abortion and who can help in case of complications. Once the bleeding starts, someone should stay in contact with the woman to be able to help in case complications occur. Most illnesses are no problem. Some serious illnesses, such as, for instance, severe anemia, can create problems because of the heavy blood loss involved.
Both pills have been used safely since the late 1988 in Europe and since 2000 in the U.S. Major problems are rare. Medication abortion carries at least 10 times less risk of health complications than continuing a pregnancy.
The advantages of a medical abortion are there are no shots, anesthesia or medical instruments involved; the abortion may feel more natural, like a miscarriage; it can be done earlier in the pregnancy than an aspiration abortion; the woman has the option to be at home or wherever most comfortable; and she can choose to have someone with her, or be alone.
The disadvantages are it takes one to two days to complete the abortion; bleeding and cramps can be very heavy and can last longer than with aspiration abortion; it cannot be done as late in the first trimester of pregnancy as aspiration abortion.
