How does the abortion pill work?

How does the abortion pill work?

The abortion pill works by using mifepristone and misoprostol to safely end a pregnancy. The earlier these pills are taken, the better they work.

Abortion pills are a safe and effective way to terminate a pregnancy. It involves taking two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. The earlier you take them in the pregnancy, the better they work.

The first pill that is taken is mifepristone, which blocks progesterone. Progesterone is a natural hormone in your body that is necessary for supporting a pregnancy, and without it the development of the embryo stops and the lining of your uterus thins, which prevents the embryo from remaining implanted. This medication should not cause side effects.

The second medication, misoprostol, is taken 24 to 48 after taking mifepristone. Misoprostol causes the muscles in your uterus to contract the same way they do during your period, a miscarriage, or childbirth.  These contractions cause the uterus to expel the pregnancy, which can include the pregnancy tissue.

What are side effects of abortion pills?

Heavy bleeding, cramping, and the passing of clots usually starts within a few hours of taking misoprostol, but it may take up to 24 hours for misoprostol to take effect. The clots can be small or large depending on how far along the pregnancy is.

Cramping and pain are expected during any abortion with pills, but the level of pain is different for everyone. The pain and cramping can range from feeling like a mild to strong period to being more painful than a period.

Some other common symptoms during an abortion with pills are nausea, vomiting, headache, and diarrhea. These symptoms may last several hours to several days. The bleeding will gradually decrease to spotting, which can last a few weeks.

How do I know if the abortion pills worked?

Most people know that they are no longer pregnant because their pregnancy symptoms go away.  If you want to confirm that you are no longer pregnant you can take a pregnancy test 3-4 weeks after taking the abortion medications to ensure that they worked.

What do I do if I am still pregnant after abortion pills?

If you think that you may still be pregnant you can follow up with a medical provider to ensure that you are not still pregnant or that it is not an ectopic pregnancy. If the abortion medications did not work, then a surgical abortion procedure may be necessary to terminate the pregnancy.

Plan C offers resources to help you plan for what to expect and how to prepare for your abortion with pills.

What is the abortion pill?

The abortion pill, aka medication abortion, is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy. It involves taking two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol.

The first medication taken is mifepristone, which blocks progesterone. Progesterone is a natural hormone in your body that is necessary for supporting a pregnancy. Without it the development of the embryo stops and the lining of your uterus thins, which prevents the embryo from remaining implanted so the pregnancy cannot continue. Mifepristone usually does not cause side effects.

The second medication, misoprostol, is taken 24 to 48 hours after taking mifepristone. It causes the muscles of your uterus to contract and expel the contents of the uterus, which can include the pregnancy tissue. This process usually takes several hours and can cause nausea, heavy bleeding, cramping, and the passing of blood clots.

Why would someone choose an abortion with pills?

Medication abortion offers people a noninvasive way to end a pregnancy. It means you don’t need to go to a clinic and have an abortion procedure done. Instead, you can take the abortion pills wherever you feel comfortable and safe, and spend time resting during the process.

Some people choose to use abortion pills because they feel it is  a more natural way to end a pregnancy since it is more like having a miscarriage.

What should you expect after taking the abortion pill?

Abortion with pills  is very effective and safe, but the physical experience is different for everyone. You may feel some mild to strong cramping and have some light to heavy bleeding after taking misoprostol.

The heaviest cramping will happen while your uterus is expelling the pregnancy. During this time, you need to wear regular sized  maxi-pads and be prepared to change them frequently. Afterward, you may continue to have bleeding, like a normal period, and spotting.  

You may also experience some fatigue, stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea during your abortion. A fever up to 101°F and chills is a normal symptom during a medication abortion and can be treated with tylenol and ibuprofen. However, if a fever is higher than 101°F or lasts longer than 24 hours, you should contact a healthcare provider you trust or the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline for medical support.

The worst of your symptoms should be over and you should start feeling better 24 hours after taking misoprostol. Your pregnancy symptoms will also be significantly improved or go away completely 24 hours after taking the medications. It may take a few weeks for all the symptoms to go away.

How long does it take for the abortion pill to work?

Abortion is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy. The abortion pill, also known as medication abortion, is a popular option for many people who prefer a non-invasive method of abortion.

The abortion pill actually involves taking two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol.

Mifepristone is taken first to block progesterone, a hormone that is necessary for supporting a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken 24 to  48 hours after taking mifepristone to induce uterine contractions and expel the pregnancy. The abortion process can be completed within 12 to 24 hours, but the timing also varies from person to person

After taking misoprostol, people typically experience cramping and bleeding within four to six hours. This is the uterus contracting to expel the pregnancy.

The level of pain and bleeding is different for everyone. The pain can range from feeling like mild to very intense period cramps to being much more painful.  You should start feeling better 24 hours after taking misoprostol, but it may take a few weeks for all your symptoms to go away.

You should seek medical attention from a healthcare provider or contact the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline if you have questions or think you may be experiencing complications during the abortion process.

How long do you bleed after the abortion pill?

Bleeding, and passing blood clots and tissue are expected during any abortion with pills.  How long the bleeding will last, and the amount of bleeding and blood clots you will pass vary based on how far along in a pregnancy you are and what your normal period is like.

Most people will have bleeding that is closer to a regular or heavy period.  Bleeding should begin a few hours after taking misoprostol. The heaviest bleeding with clots usually lasts 3-5 hours while you are passing the pregnancy and the bleeding will decrease to spotting that can last a few weeks.  

However, the absence of heavy bleeding does not necessarily mean the abortion process is not complete. Some people only experience mild bleeding and cramping. Every person’s experience with medication abortion is unique.

Monitoring bleeding is crucial since it can be an indicator of complications. It's essential to pay attention to any bleeding that is too heavy, particularly if you notice that you are soaking more than two maxi pads an hour for more than two hours during your abortion. In such cases, you should contact the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline for medical support or a healthcare provider.

How to stop the bleeding after taking the abortion pill

You can expect significant bleeding, as much as one maxi pad an hour, after you take the misoprostol. This happens as the uterus begins contractions and expels the pregnancy. The heavy bleeding should last three to five hours, but can be longer or shorter for some people.

It is important to let this progress normally to ensure the abortion completes. It is a good reason to spend that day resting. However, you should use regular sized maxi pads to monitor your bleeding.

If you are soaking more than two maxi pads an hour for more than two hours, this is too much bleeding and you should contact the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline or your healthcare provider for medical support.

Does the abortion pill hurt?

The physical experience of taking the abortion pill is different for everyone, but many describe it as similar to having a heavy, crampy period. This is because the misoprostol taken during the abortion triggers the uterus to contract.

The primary heavy cramping usually eases within eight hours after taking misoprostol. Although the abortion may be painful, there are ways to manage the pain. You can try using a heating pad on your belly or taking ibuprofen to help ease the pain.

You may also experience side effects for a few days. Nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, fever, and dizziness are some common side effects of an abortion with pills. However, these side effects should start to subside 24 hours after taking misoprostol.

Most of the pain you will experience will likely start a few hours after taking  misoprostol so it is important to plan to rest on that day. Once you feel up to it, you can return to your regular activities.

It's important to keep in mind that everyone's experience with abortion pills is unique, and the level of discomfort and pain will vary from person to person. If you have any concerns about the pain or discomfort, you can contact the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline with any questions during your abortion process.

What are the side effects of abortion pills?

The main side effects you will experience during an abortion with pills will be cramping, bleeding, and the passing of blood clots. However, you may also experience fatigue, diarrhea, and a mild fever.

Some people get relief from ibuprofen for pain and anti-nausea medication for nausea. You should start feeling better 24 hours after taking misoprostol, but it may take a few weeks for all your symptoms to go away.

Everyone’s experience will be different, but here is some more information about what you may experience:

1. Pain: Pain can range from feeling like mild to strong period cramps to being much more painful than any cramps you have felt during a period. Ibuprofen and tylenol can help with the pain along with a heating pad and resting.
2. Bleeding: This may be heavier than a normal period. You will also pass blood clots and tissue.
3. Nausea and Vomiting: This is a common symptom of pregnancy and a side effect of misoprostol.  You can take anti-nausea medication.
4. Fever or chills: A fever up to 101°F and chills can happen after taking misoprostol.  If your fever is higher than 101°F or lasts longer than 24 hours, you should contact the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline or a healthcare provider for medical support.

Abortion with pills is extremely safe, effective, and complications are rare, but you should seek medical care if you experience complications, are concerned at any point in the process, or think that the abortion was not successful.

If you do seek medical care, remember that you do not have to tell anyone that you have had an abortion. The symptoms of a miscarriage and abortion with pills are the same, and there are no tests that can show that you had an abortion with pills.

Abortion pill reviews: Pain level and experience

Abortion pill reviews are one source of information about how much pain people experience when using the abortion pill. Many people who have had an abortion with pills report passing large blood clots and experiencing heavy bleeding for several hours.

As the heaviest bleeding slows down after a few hours, people may experience several days or weeks of spotting.

Several reviewers mentioned the need for pain medication when the cramps became strong. In addition, nausea and fatigue are common side effects mentioned in many of the reviews.

While some individuals report the process was mostly painless, others provide detailed accounts indicating that it was very painful for them.

Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how each person will react to the pills, so it is important to be prepared with pain reliever medications like Tylenol and ibuprofen.

Is Plan B the abortion pill?

Plan B, also known as the "Morning After" pill, prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation. Plan C, also known as medication abortion or abortion with pills, terminates a pregnancy.

When do you take Plan B vs. Abortion Pills?

Plan B: The morning after pill is used in the hours or days after having sex without contraception.

Plan C: The abortion pill is used in the days or weeks following a missed menstrual period to end a pregnancy.

Plan B

Pregnancy occurs when a mature egg that is released from an ovary is fertilized by sperm and then implants into the lining of the uterus. If unprotected sex has occurred within the previous five days, sperm can interact with the egg and cause fertilization to take place. This is where Plan B comes in. By stopping the egg from leaving the ovary, it prevents fertilization from occurring.

Plan C

The abortion pill is a series of medications (mifepristone and misoprostol) that are taken after fertilization has already occurred. The first pill, mifepristone, works by stopping the pregnancy from growing. The second pill, misoprostol, then triggers contractions in the uterus that expels the pregnancy, similar to a miscarriage.