How Does the Abortion Pill Work? Is it Safe?
Over half of all abortions in the United States are chemical abortions. However, those who are considering a medical abortion should understand how it works and what to expect after taking the pills.
How Does the Abortion Pill Work?
There are actually two abortion pills a woman typically takes to terminate a pregnancy. The first one is mifepristone. This is the pill that works to end the pregnancy by blocking the body’s production of progesterone, an important hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy and supports the fetus as it grows. The second pill, misoprostol, is prescribed to be taken between 24 and 48 hours after a woman takes mifepristone. This pill softens the cervix so the body will expel the fetus from the womb.
What Happens During a Medication Abortion?
The fetus doesn’t die immediately after a woman takes mifepristone. A woman has to wait for up to two days for the pill to take effect before taking a second pill. After a woman takes misoprostol, it typically takes about four to five hours for the baby to die and be expelled from the body,[1] but it can take longer than this in some cases. What’s more, the pill doesn’t always work to end a pregnancy. While it is effective in most instances, the failure rate ranges from 2% to 8%.[2] The risk of an incomplete medical abortion is higher in women who take the pill after seven weeks of pregnancy than it is for women who take the pill before the fetus reaches the seven-week mark.[3]
How Does a Medication Abortion Feel?
Most of the side effects start after taking the second pill. These potential effects include heavy cramping that can last for several hours, heavy bleeding with blood clots that lasts for several hours, and a low fever and/or chills that can last for a full day after taking the second pill. Women also experience fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea. What’s more, symptoms don’t end immediately after a medical abortion. Even after the pregnancy is over, many women experience nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, diarrhea, and headaches that can last for up to several days. Bleeding subsides but continues for up to three weeks after a chemical abortion.[4]
Unfortunately, many women aren’t prepared for these painful symptoms. What’s more, because the abortion is being done at home rather than at a medical facility, they may not have the support they need during this difficult time. Furthermore, many women who have a medical abortion at home may not be prepared for the emotional impact of seeing the unborn fetus after it has been expelled from the body. The fetus could be more developed than expected, which can be traumatizing for a woman who thought the unborn child was nothing more than a blob of tissue. There are very real ethical and moral issues involved in choosing to abort an unborn child, which is why many women and even their partners may suffer from long-lasting grief and depression after an abortion.[5]
What Does Misoprostol Do to the Uterus?
Misoprostol is designed to gradually soften the cervix. This enables the body to expel an unborn baby from the uterus. It is used not just for abortion but also to induce labor in women who are ready to give birth.[6]
How Long Does it Take for Misoprostol to Soften the Cervix?
It takes about several hours for misoprostol to soften the cervix enough for it to dilate 2 to 3 cm. Once this happens, there is nothing to stop the body from ending the pregnancy.
Abortion Pill alternatives
Women who have taken mifepristone may be able to stop the process by ingesting a large quantity of progesterone, the hormone that mifepristone is designed to block. This is commonly referred to as abortion pill reversal. However, it’s best to consider all the options, and the implications of each option, before starting a medical abortion.
Medical abortions, while commonplace and effective for the most part, can be physically and emotionally difficult, and they don’t always work as advertised. There is also the risk of complications, which is why the FDA states that women who are taking blood thinning medication, undergoing corticosteroid therapy, and/or have problems with their adrenal glands should not use abortion medication.[7]
At Caring Network, we specialize in helping women process an unplanned pregnancy and make smart medical decisions that are in her best interests. As we are funded by sponsors and not patients, we can offer a range of free services to pregnant women of all ages and walks of life. We offer a free ultrasound to confirm that a woman is indeed pregnant and make sure the pregnancy is not ectopic. This is important as an ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening and abortion medication can’t be used to remove it. We confirm the age of the fetus as abortion medication is not FDA-approved for women who are past the 10th week of pregnancy.
Caring Network remains committed to supporting women facing unplanned pregnancies, even as abortion clinics continue to provide procedures and the abortion pill. We have adapted our services to ensure the health and safety of our staff and clients, while still providing skillful assistance to those in need. If you’re struggling with post-abortion stress and want to start your journey to recovery, reach out to us at Care@RestoreAfterAbortion.com or 630.599.0043. We’re here to help.
