
Abortion Pill Information
Offered up to 11 weeks
The first pill which you receive and take during the doctor’s visit is called Mifepristone. Mifepristone blocks pregnancy hormones in order to stop the pregnancy from growing. Within 24-48 hours, you will take the second pill, Misoprostol. This pill can be taken at home or at the doctor’s office, and it will induce your body to expel the pregnancy. A couple of weeks after you take the pills, you’ll have a follow up appointment to ensure there were no complications.
When taken in the first trimester, the abortion pill is 94-98% effective.
If you are taking the abortion pill, some minor side effects may set in after taking the second pill. These side effects may include bleeding, cramping, and nausea.
The cramping happens because the second pill causes your uterus to contract, which is the source of these cramping pains. You can treat these cramping pains in the same way you would with your usual menstrual cramps. For bleeding, it can vary from patient to patient. You may also pass clots with the bleeding. This bleeding is normal as long as you don’t use more than two menstrual pads.
Your symptoms should start to subside 24 hours after taking the second pill.
The abortion pill is very safe, with less than 1% of patients having serious complications.
One reason that patients choose the abortion pill is because it is not invasive. In 98% of patients, there is no surgical procedures necessary. We look to avoid surgical procedures by using the abortion pill, as less surgery means less risk.
The abortion pill does come with cramping and bleeding. The bleeding is usually heavier than a regular period, and the cramping can be moderate to heavy. Most patients find this to be tolerable, but if you do not we will be here to help.
Like any medical procedure, there are some risks. However, complications are very rare. These risks include infection, blood loss, and incomplete pregnancy termination. We will monitor you to ensure that you are safe, and in our follow up appointment we’ll check again.
There is no scientific evidence that the abortion pill can be reversed, so you should be 100% sure you want to go through with it before you take the first pill. We will never pressure you into a choice you don’t want to make, we are here to support you and make sure you have all the information you need for an informed choice.
There is a very low chance of this happening, but if it does, we’ll follow up with a surgical abortion to complete the termination of the pregnancy.