Many people prefer the abortion pill because they like the convenience; they feel it is more natural. Like a miscarriage, they prefer to pass their pregnancy at home, or even because they wish to avoid medical settings. Whatever your reasons are, we can help you get the abortion care you need. You need to be 12 weeks or less from your last period, and you have no medical contraindications for the medications.  

Medication abortion is two sets of pills.  The first pill, mifepristone (Mifeprex TM), blocks your body’s production of progesterone, which is the hormone needed for a pregnancy to grow normally. Taking Mifeprex stops your pregnancy from growing. Then, anywhere from 0 to 72 hours later, you take a second medication, misoprostol (Cytotec TM), which will cause cramping and bleeding and allow you to pass the pregnancy. Misoprostol can be used either vaginally or buccally (in your mouth, placed between your cheek and gums).

Within 1-4 hours of taking the second medication, misoprostol, you will experience what feels like a heavy and crampy period, sometimes with large blood clots or clumps of tissue. The process is very similar to what people experience with an early miscarriage. The heaviest bleeding usually happens the day you take the misoprostol, but irregular, lighter bleeding can continue for a few weeks after the abortion.

Medication abortion care has been used safely in the U.S. for more than 20 years. The medication is incredibly effective, with a more than 95% success rate. It is safer than many over-the-counter medications like Tylenol. Complications are really rare but can happen. These include:

• Medication abortion doesn’t work, and the pregnancy continues
• Some of the pregnancy tissue is left in your uterus
• Blood clots in your uterus
• Bleeding too much or too long
• Infection
• Allergic reaction to one of the medicines

These problems aren’t common. If they do happen, they’re usually easy to take care of with medication or other treatments. We are on call 24/7 for all our patients to answer questions and support you through this process.

In extremely rare cases, some complications can be serious or even life-threatening. Call us right away if you:

• Have heavy bleeding from your vagina that soaks through more than 2 maxi pads in an hour, for 2 or more hours in a row
• Pass large clots (bigger than a lemon) for more than 2 hours
• Have belly pain or cramps that don’t get better with pain medication
• Have a fever of 100.4℉ or higher more than 24 hours after taking misoprostol
• Have weakness, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours after taking misoprostol

While it is not an emergency, please also call us if you have no bleeding within 24 hours after taking the second medication (misoprostol).

You should start to feel better the day after your pregnancy passes. Feeling sick with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain, or a fever for more than 24 hours after taking misoprostol (the second set of pills) can be a sign of infection or a continued pregnancy. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

If you have complications during your medication abortion care, we can help you at one of our clinics or refer you to another trusted provider. In the unlikely event that you are still pregnant, your provider will discuss your options with you. You may need a second r dose of medication or to have an in-clinic abortion procedure to end your pregnancy.

Medication abortion care isn’t right for everyone. If you have certain medical conditions or take certain medications, abortion pills may not be right for you. Your provider will help you decide if an abortion with pills is the right option for you.

Bleeding and cramping are the most common side effects of abortion pills, and they are actually the desired outcome we seek, as cramping and bleeding are necessary to pass your pregnancy.

There are lots of myths about the effects of an abortion. Here are some facts:

• Abortion is very common and part of essential medical care.
• Unless there is a rare serious complication left untreated, there is no risk to future pregnancies or overall health.
• Abortions don’t increase the risk of breast cancer.
• Abortions do not affect fertility.
• Having an abortion will not cause problems for future pregnancies like birth defects, miscarriage, infant death, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth or low birth weight.
  
  

Serious, long-term emotional problems after an abortion are rare. They are about as uncommon as they are after giving birth. In fact, five years after their abortion, 99% of people feel relief and that getting an abortion was the right move. Please contact us for support if you need it.