Abortion Pills: How to Use

What is the abortion pill?

The abortion pill, also known as medication abortion, is a way to end an early pregnancy without having a medical procedure. It usually involves taking a combination of two medications, typically mifepristone (sometimes called RU-486) followed by misoprostol, or just misoprostol alone. Mifepristone is taken first and blocks the hormone progesterone, which is needed to keep the pregnancy in place in the uterus. Misoprostol is taken 24 to 48 hours later, either under the tongue, between cheeks and gum, or inserted into the vagina. It causes cramping and bleeding as the uterus contracts and expels the pregnancy, similar to a miscarriage.

Abortion pills are typically used to end pregnancies within the first 10-12 weeks, although the exact gestational limit may vary depending on state laws and healthcare provider preferences. Many people also successfully end their pregnancies by taking only misoprostol. You can get a step-by-step guide for how to safely use both mifepristone and misoprostol, or misoprostol only, from the M+A Hotline.

How do abortion pills work?

Abortion pills can either be two types of pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) or misoprostol alone. If taking two types of pills, you take the mifepristone first, then the misoprostol a day later. Your provider will give you detailed instructions for how to take them. It takes anywhere from a few hours to a few days for the abortion to be complete after taking misoprostol.

Everyone's body is different, but after taking the pills it's normal to have pain, nausea, diarrhea, low-grade fever, or vomiting. You may not have any symptoms, but if you do, they should get better around 1-2 days after taking misoprostol. You may be able to get pain medication from your provider, or you can take ibuprofen.

Many providers in the United States only offer pills up to 10 or 12 weeks of pregnancy. Using pills after 12 weeks can be more painful and requires more doses of the medication. To learn more about how abortion pills are used after 12 weeks of pregnancy visit: https://www.ineedana.com/pills-after-12-weeks.

Are there health conditions that affect whether I can take abortion pills?

If you:

• have an allergy to mifepristone or misoprostol,

• take steroid pills everyday,

• take blood thinners,

• have chronic adrenal failure,

• inherited porphyria,

• have a bleeding disorder,

• or if you have an IUD,

you should contact the M+A Hotline for medical support information before taking pills. If you have an IUD, you can still use abortion pills. However, you should think about getting it removed since it did not work to prevent pregnancy for you.

What are normal symptoms after taking abortion pills, and when should I seek medical help?

Everyone's body is different, but after taking the pills, it's 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.

If you have really heavy bleeding (you soak through two pads per hour, two hours in a row), or if you have other medical questions, call or text the M+A Hotline or your provider to talk to a doctor or nurse.

Common Symptoms

Here are the most common symptoms people report experiencing after taking abortion pills:

Bleeding should start within 24 hours after taking misoprostol. You may see blood clots. If you're more than 8-9 weeks pregnant, you may see the pregnancy tissue (embryo).

You may also have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or chills/shaking.

Experts say it's safe to take Tylenol or ibuprofen to help with pain, or nausea medicines like Dramamine.

When to Get Emergency Help

If you are having more serious symptoms like soaking multiple pads within an hour or feeling unwell (dizziness or fainting), you should call 911 or go to a doctor right away.

If you're worried you're bleeding more than normal, think of the "2 x 2" rule: if you soak through two pads per hour, two hours in a row, you should call or text the M+A Hotline or your provider right away.

The heavy bleeding should slow down within 24 hours. You might bleed on-and-off for a few weeks after.

If the Abortion Didn't Work

Contact a doctor if you still feel pregnant or have pregnancy symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or sore breasts 1-2 weeks after taking the pills.

Pregnancy tests can stay positive for up to 5 weeks after the abortion. If you're not sure if the abortion worked, you can get an ultrasound from a doctor or nurse, or an abortion clinic.

Still Not Sure?

If you're still not sure if your symptoms are normal, you should call or text someone at M+A Hotline right now, or contact your provider to talk to a doctor or nurse.

Privacy Note

If you're worried about getting in legal trouble, you do not have to tell a doctor or nurse if you've had an abortion. You can say that you are pregnant, started bleeding, and are worried. The side effects of taking abortion pills are the same as the side effects of having a miscarriage.

How does getting abortion pills at a clinic work?

Depending on where you live, you can pick up abortion pills at a clinic in your own state, or you can travel to a clinic in another state if providers in your state aren't legally allowed to do abortions. You may take one pill in the clinic and the rest at home, or just pick them up and take them all at home as instructed.

Not all clinics offer abortion pills. It's a good idea to contact several clinics to get a better idea of which one will fit as many of your needs as possible.

Getting abortion pills from a clinic is usually more expensive than getting them by mail. It can cost $500-$600 to get pills at a clinic, but help paying for pills may be available. Getting pills by mail usually costs around $150 or less, and providers will usually lower the price if you need it or may even send you pills for free if you can't pay. Each provider has their own rules for how far along in a pregnancy they will offer abortion pills. They usually offer them up to 10-12 weeks, but some may stop much earlier. Check to make sure you'll still be under the limit by the time of your appointment.

It's usually legal to bring pills home with you from the clinic, but some providers will have you take the pills within their state. The clinic will walk you through everything you need to know. If you're in a state where providers aren’t legally allowed to do abortions, it may be legally safer to take the pills in the state where you travel to pick them up, if you're able to stay.