What is a medical abortion with pills?

What are abortion pills?

Abortion pills (also called medical abortion) are usually a combination of two pills: mifepristone and misoprostol.

An aborion with pills usuallu takes 2-3 days to complete.

How it works

First you take mifepristone, which blocks progesterone, a natural hormone in your body that is needed for a pregnancy.

Misoprostol, taken 24-48 hours after mifepristone, causes strong cramps like during a period, miscarriage, or childbirth, which makes the pregnancy tissue come out. 

You will get specific inructions with the pills.

What does it feel like?

Ater taking the pills, its normal to have cramps, bleeding, nausea, diarrhea, low grade-fever or vomiting.  You may not have all these symptoms, but if you do, they should get better around 24 hours after taking misoprostol.

Everyone's body is different. Support is available. 

Over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen work to lessen pain for most people.

How do pills by mail work?

Ordering abortion pills online is possible with telehealth-a way for doctors to treat patients and prescribe them pills on the internet. 

Your information will be reviewed by a medical professional, and if you are under 13 weeks pregnant and have no other medical conditions that would make taking the pills unsafe, they will write you a prescription.

The doctors may contact you with follow-up questions about your medical needs and history. 

 

Who can I talk to after taking the pills?

You will get instructions with the pills that include a phone number to call for support if you need it.