Medication Abortion

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens during a medication abortion?

A medication abortion is a process by which you will take two medications to end and expel a pregnancy.  Medical abortions require two separate visits even though the abortion process happens at home, not in the clinic. 

• Your first appointment: At your first visit you will read through and fill out paperwork and an ultrasound will be done to verify the gestation of your pregnancy.  You must be within the first 63 days (9 weeks) of the pregnancy for the medications to be most effective.  Once it is determined that you are within this time frame, you will have a counseling session, and sign consent forms.  After all of your questions have been answered, the doctor will administer the first of two medications that you will take.  The first medication (Mifeprex) causes the pregnancy to stop developing. 

           Within 48 hours of taking the first medication you will take the second medication 

           (Misoprotol) which will cause you to expel the pregnancy.  Again, this process

           happens at home, not in the medical office.  It can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours

           for this process to occur.  During that time you will have cramping, bleeding, and

           clotting.  Nausea, diarrhea, fever and chills can also occur. You must have a 

           support person with you during this time and you must have access to a

           phone and vehicle and be within 50 miles of a hospital in case of an

           emergency.

• Your follow-up appointment: You will return to Mabel Wadsworth Center within 2 weeks for your follow-up exam. The medication abortion is 97% effective and at this appointment we will confirm that the abortion is complete by doing another ultrasound.  This appointment usually takes 30 minutes.  If you have not passed the pregnancy, you will be given two options: take another dose of Misoprostol or have a surgical abortion.  If you choose to take the Misoprostol and you still don’t pass the pregnancy, a surgical abortion is necessary.

What does a medication abortion feel like?

Some women compare the experience of a medication abortion to that of having a miscarriage.  Most women experience heavy cramps and bleeding within four hours of inserting the Misoprostol.  Along with these symptoms you might also pass blood clots that can be as large as a golf ball in size.  You might become nauseated, or feverish and you might have diarrhea – these are all normal and expected symptoms.  The bleeding should slow down within a day but you can have some bleeding for up to two weeks.  You can also have mild cramping for up to 10 days following the abortion process.

How long does it take to recover?

After an abortion you will probably have some cramping and bleeding.  After inserting the Misoprostol, you should rest for the remainder of the day.  Most women will feel back to normal the following day. It is important not to do any heavy lifting or excessively hard physical work/exercise for a couple days as these things will increase your cramping and bleeding.

Is a medication abortion safe?

Yes, medication abortions are very safe.  The risks of an early abortion are less than that of pregnancy but even with the most careful medical care before, during, and after an abortion, there are possible complications. Studies have discovered that any pregnancy can be associated with a serious infection known as Clostridium Sordellii. The risk of this infection may be increased with a medication abortion. The risk of death from a medication abortion is 10/million, the risk from a surgical abortion is 1/million, and the risk from a full-term pregnancy is 128/million. 

Do not take Mifeprex if:

You have an IUD in place.

You have been told you have a pregnancy outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy).

You have problems with your adrenal glands.

You take medicine to thin your blood.

You take steroid medications.

You are uncomfortable seeing blood and passing the pregnancy tissue at home.

You cannot come to the office for a minimum of two visits.

You are anemic (a low blood level).

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