The medical abortion procedure (abortion pill) works with two medications. The first medication, Mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy hormone and prevents the pregnancy from growing. You take the first medication during your appointment at the clinic. The second medication, Misoprostol, is used buccally – the pills are put between the cheek and gum and allowed to dissolve- between 24 and 48 hours after you take the first medication. The Misoprostol will make your uterus cramp and bleed and you will therefore expel the pregnancy.
RU-486 is a very safe and effective abortion procedure. It is an FDA approved treatment and it has been safely used to end pregnancy in the United States and Europe for many years. As with the surgical abortion, and at about the same rate of occurrence, there are risks involved including incomplete abortion procedure, retained products of conception, and infection. On the day of your appointment an information counselor will go over all of the risks associated with RU-486 (abortion pill) and answer any and all questions you may have.
