A medical abortion is the use of two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, to end a pregnancy.
It is sometimes called the abortion pill. If you’re considering this option, understanding how the drugs work, their potential risks, and what you need to know about your pregnancy can help you make an informed decision.
Voice of Hope offers no-cost, confidential pregnancy services across Marion, Bucyrus, and Upper Sandusky, where a caring team can help you understand the facts without pressure.
How Does a Medical Abortion Work?
A medical abortion uses two drugs taken separately.
Mifepristone is used first, blocking the hormone progesterone, which causes the pregnancy to detach from the uterine wall and stop growing.
Misoprostol is then taken 24 to 48 hours later. It causes the uterus to contract, expelling the pregnancy and related tissue through vaginal bleeding and cramping.
Who Is Eligible?
According to the FDA, medical abortion is approved only through 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Attempting a medical abortion after that point increases the risk of serious complications, including an incomplete abortion.
Certain health conditions can also make the abortion pill unsafe, such as:
- Having an intrauterine device (IUD) in place
- Taking blood thinners or certain steroid medications
- Bleeding disorders, heart or blood vessel disease, or an uncontrolled seizure disorder
- An allergy to mifepristone or misoprostol
- An ectopic pregnancy or a pregnancy already in the process of miscarriage
What Are the Risks?
Even for eligible women, the abortion pill carries known physical risks, including heavy or prolonged bleeding, infection, fever, diarrhea, digestive pain, allergic reaction, and incomplete abortion that may require a follow-up surgical procedure.
Studies have also linked abortion with an increased likelihood of mental health concerns for some women, including depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.
Why an Ultrasound is Important
A pregnancy test can confirm that hCG is present in your body, but it cannot show how far along you are, whether the pregnancy is viable, or where the pregnancy is located.
Those details matter, and a limited ultrasound can provide them.
An ultrasound confirms gestational age, which is essential because medical abortion is FDA-approved only through 10 weeks.
The ultrasound scan can also confirm viability and reveal whether the pregnancy is developing properly in the uterus or rule out an ectopic pregnancy. This serious medical condition occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus.
We’re Here for You
You deserve the information and answers you need to make the best decision for your future.
Voice of Hope free and confidential appointments provide no-cost pregnancy testing, a limited ultrasound scan if needed, and a trained, caring team that will answer all your questions and discuss the options available to you.