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Abortion Pill Information

How the Abortion Pill Works

An Early Medical Abortion (EMA) is performed up to the ninth week of pregnancy. With an EMA, a regimen of drugs referred to as the abortion pill is used to perform the abortion.

The Abortion Pill, officially known as RU-486, Mifeprex™, and mifepristone, is a standard early abortion method in the United States used for abortions up to 10 weeks of a woman’s last menstrual period. Though it is referred to as the abortion pill, it actually involves two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol.

  • Mifepristone – the first round of medication is designed to stop your body’s production of progesterone, a hormone necessary for the development and growth of a gestating embryo during pregnancy.
  • Misoprostol – the second round of medication used to induce cramping and contractions to expel the contents of the pregnancy.

Abortion Pill is FDA-Approved

The abortion pill drug regimen is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for use in women up to 10 weeks after the start of their last menstrual period. According to the FDA, Mifepristone must be prescribed by a healthcare provider that meets certain qualifications.

The FDA does not recommend abortion pills be purchased online since “The FDA does not have regulatory oversight of prescription medicines from outside the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain; therefore, the FDA cannot ensure the safety, effectiveness, or quality of those medications.”

Finger Lakes Pregnancy Care does not offer or refer for the abortion pill. Alternatively, Finger Lakes offers free pregnancy confirmation services, including free self-administered on-site pregnancy tests, on-site limited ultrasound referrals, and on-site referrals for STI testing. Finger Lakes Pregnancy Care also offers free options consultations on all of your pregnancy options.

Abortion Pill Potential Complications

Like any drug, the abortion pill comes with potential negative complications. Possible complications of the abortion pill can include but are not limited to:

  • Bleeding requiring surgery to stop
  • Incomplete/missed abortion
  • Unaffected pregnancy

Before taking the abortion pill, it is imperative that you understand the risks, side effects, and possible complications of the abortion pill. Discuss this information with your healthcare provider so you can make an informed decision.

It is also essential that you follow up with your doctor one to two weeks after completing the abortion pill medication regimen to ensure there are no complications present.

Abortion Pill Reversal

If you have taken the first round of the abortion pill regimen, if you regret taking the pill and do not want to complete the abortion, abortion pill reversal is possible. Just like mifepristone functions by blocking the production of progesterone, abortion pill reversal functions by administering doses of progesterone to the patient to support the growth and development during pregnancy.

 

Timing is everything when it comes to successfully reversing the effects of the abortion pill. If you are having second thoughts about completing the abortion pill regimen, contact the abortion pill reversal hotline immediately.

 

Finger Lakes Pregnancy Care offers free counseling regarding your decisions but does not refer for or perform abortions.