The Abortion Pill Procedure | An Overview.
At The Orlando Women’s Center, we offer compassionate and professional abortion care, including the abortion pill, a safe and non-surgical option for early pregnancy termination. The abortion pill is a highly effective method and is available to women within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
The Orlando Women’s Center performs the Same Day Abortion Pill Procedure with medications that are taken during the first visit.
What Is The Abortion Pill?
The abortion pill refers to a combination of two medications: Mifepristone and Misoprostol. These medications work together to terminate an early pregnancy.
- Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for pregnancy to continue.
- Misoprostol induces uterine contractions to expel the pregnancy.
How Do Abortion Pills Work?
Mifepristone blocks the hormone Progesterone which causes the pregnancy to separate from the wall of the Uterus(womb). Mifepristone causes the Uterus to contract and thus leads to vaginal bleeding and the pregnancy tissue to be expelled.
Essentially; RU486 is an anti-progesterone medication. It works by binding (attaching) to the progesterone receptors on the wall of the uterus and promotes loss of the blood vessel supply to the pregnancy and causes the lining of the uterus to shed.
Progesterone is necessary to maintain uterine quiescence (prevents uterine contractions). Once progesterone is unable to bind to the uterus, the intrauterine pressure increases and uterine contractions are started.
There are local changes to the cervix that allow it to open and become soft. The softening and dilation (opening) is called “cervical priming”.
Taking Mifepristone alone can lead to a 2 to 3% chance of vaginal bleeding and a 1% chance of miscarriage prior to taking the second medication (Misoprostol).
RU486 alone was shown to cause abortions in 45 to 80% of women in 2 weeks in women who were up to 10 weeks gestation in the preliminary studies in the late 1970’s at the lab in France where RU 486 was discovered.
The failure rate was thought to be too high for Mifepristone to be used alone for the general population of patients.
Cytotec (Misoprostol) is a prostaglandin that is FDA approved to prevent gastric ulcers in patients who take chronic anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the incidence of gastric ulcers.
Misoprostol (Cytotec) is the second medication generally given 48 to 72 hours after the RU486 tablet. It binds to the Prostaglandin receptors on the Uterine wall to initiate uterine contractions that will end the pregnancy.
Misoprostol is a Prostaglandin E1 that was initially FDA approved in the mid-80’s to prevent gastric ulcers in patients who took chronic steroid anti-inflammatory medications. It works by creating a layer of protection in the stomach lining.
The combination of RU 486 and Misoprostol are used in our offices to perform the one day abortion process in patients 3 to 24 weeks. This process is started and completed with minimal to no complications.
How Effective Is The Abortion Pill Procedure?
Overall; the combination of Mifepristone and Misoprostol is 94 to 99% effective for termination of pregnancies between 3 to 10 weeks pregnant. The earlier in pregnancy the medical abortion procedure is performed, the higher the success rate.
The combination of RU486 and Misoprostol is nearly 100% effective for patients who are less than 6 weeks from their last menstrual period.
Is The Abortion Pill Safe?
The chance of delivering a term infant carries a 11 to 14 times higher risk of maternal death in comparison to having a Medical Abortion Pill Procedure performed.
The combination of RU486 and Misoprostol is a highly safe, effective and efficient means for termination of pregnancy. It is a viable alternative for women who do not wish to undergo a surgical abortion procedure.
A small percentage of complications occur in less than 1% of patients. The procedure has been used in Europe (France, UK), Norwegian and Scandinavian Countries since the mid 80’s.
There have been over three million first trimester medical abortion procedures performed in the US associated with a very low complication and side effect rate of 1% or less.
The contraindications to the use of RU486 are adrenal failure, prolonged use of corticosteroids, or allergy to this medication. Please look under general contraindications to having the medical abortion procedure performed.
Contraindications Of Using The Abortion Pill:
- Chronic use of steroids
- Hypoadrenalism
- Porphyria
- Blood clotting abnormalities
- Liver Disease
- Certain Kidney Disorders
- Undiagnosed Vaginal Bleeding
- Recent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in the past two months
- Undiagnosed or untreated uterine infection
- Questionable Ectopic Pregnancy
- Undiagnosed pelvic mass
- Intrauterine Device (IUD) in place
- Unable to return to office or facility for follow-up exam
- More than two hours away from medical office or facility if an emergency occurs
- Allergic to the medication
Contraindications Of Using Misoprostol:
- Hypoadrenalism
- Porphyria
- Blood clotting abnormalities
- Liver Disease
- Certain Kidney Disorders
- Undiagnosed Vaginal Bleeding
- Recent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in the past two months
- Undiagnosed or untreated uterine infection
- Questionable Ectopic Pregnancy
- Undiagnosed pelvic mass
- Intrauterine Device (IUD) in place
- Unable to return to office or facility for follow-up exam
- More than two hours away from medical office or facility if an emergency occurs
- Allergic to the medication
Contraindications To The Use Of Methotrexate:
- Hypoadrenalism
- Porphyria
- Blood clotting abnormalities
- Liver Disease (can cause Cirrhosis of Liver)
- Certain Kidney Disorders (Contraindicated due to Acute Renal Failure that can lead to Chronic Renal Failure and Death)
- Undiagnosed Vaginal Bleeding
- Recent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in the past two months
- Undiagnosed or untreated uterine infection
- Questionable Ectopic Pregnancy
- Undiagnosed pelvic mass
- Intrauterine Device (IUD) in place
- Unable to return to office or facility for follow-up exam
- More than two hours away from medical office or facility if an emergency occurs
- Allergic to the medication
- Pulmonary Disease (May cause Diffuse Interstitial Pneumonitis)
- Immunodeficiency States
- Breastfeeding
What Are Abortion Pill Side Effects?
The most common side effects are the following:
- Abdominal Pain: Abdominal pain which is generally mild may occur but lasts less than 24 hours unless a spontaneous miscarriage occurs which happens in 1 to 3% of patients before taking the Misoprostol tablets.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Common among patients who have been nauseated prior to taking the medication
- Headache: Normally mild and goes away in 24 hours or less
- Jaw pain
- Shortness of breath
- Shoulder Pain
- Chest pain
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
- Diarrhea or Constipation: Normally goes away in 24 hours or less
- Dizziness and lightheadedness: Generally goes away in 24 hours or less
- Vaginitis: Normally occurs several days after taking the Misoprostol medication on the second or third day. It can be dark brown, yellow or whitish clear discharge. There can be a foul smell. As long as there are no other symptoms (abdominal pain or elevated temperature) the woman does not need to be evaluated for this symptom alone. It may be addressed at the follow-up appointment.
- Chills and Fever: Usually only lasts 24 hours or less. If lasts longer, patient needs to call the office immediately.
- Vaginal Bleeding: Bleeding that is not heavier than a normal menstrual period and may last off and on for 7 to 14 days. Lighter bleeding and spotting may last from 30 to 60 days in a few rare cases. Bleeding that is heavier than 2 pads an hour for more than 2 hours must be addressed by medical personnel immediately.
- Itching of the palms of the hands and soles of the feet normally occurs in the first 20 minutes of taking the medication and goes away within the first hour.
- Swelling of the face and ankles: Should contact medical personnel immediately to be evaluated.
- Low or high blood pressure: Medical personnel should be contacted immediately.
Other Abortion Pill Procedure Adverse Effects:
Most women who undergo abortions feel immediately relieved afterward. There have been reports of women who have suffered from long term emotional and psychological problems that lead to deep depression and other pathologic mental disorders.
Some physicians believe that post-abortion disorder or syndrome should be a defined mental illness disorder.
Major Psychological groups do not recognize this disorder. The women that are at risk of psychotic disorders after an abortion are women:
- who have previous psychological disorders
- do not have the support of their families
- are in abusive relationships
In years past, there was question of abortion and a higher incidence of breast cancers and cervical weakness that causes preterm births. The studies were extensively re-evaluated and no link was found between abortion and breast cancer.
With modern day techniques for performing abortion, there is now less chance of cervical trauma making the possibility of premature births is no longer an issue.
Healing after abortion begins in the recovery room following the surgical removal or with passage of the pregnancy tissue after the abortion pill medical abortion procedure at home.
How Long Does Bleeding Normally Last After The Abortion Procedure Is Complete?
Women will normally bleed for a few days off and on for 4 to 16 days. Blood clots the size of a 50 cent piece may pass along with cramping may continue for 2 to 3 days after the procedure is
Women in the first trimester of pregnancy are able to go back to work or school the same afternoon or the next day after the procedure is performed.
How Soon Can Women Have Sex After The Abortion Pill Process?
Patients who are less than 6 weeks are able to have intimate contact the same day. Women who are further than 6 weeks may engage in sexual contact as soon as they feel comfortable.
How Soon Can Women Become Pregnant After The Procedure?
Ovulation can occur as early as 6 days after the abortion procedure is performed. The average is approximately 20 days.
Male or female Condom usage and the birth control pill should be started immediately.
Long term birth control measures (IUD, Depo Provera Injections or Progesterone Implants) should be discussed and started at the 3 to 4 week follow-up visit.
Swimming and bathing are no longer contraindicated after either a surgical or medical procedure.
Post Abortion Recovery Time With The Abortion Pill Procedure:
Post abortion recovery time generally takes place within a few days. A small amount of bleeding and mild lower abdominal pain and uterine contractions generally lasts no more than 2 weeks.
Uterine cramps and blood clots may be relieved by performing a uterine massage where the woman lies on the bed and presses from below the navel toward the pubic bone for 30 minutes.
To help in the post abortion healing process, a heating pad or hot water bottle placed on the lower abdomen may be beneficial for alleviating the pain and discomfort.
Patients should call the Medical Office Immediately For The Following Problems:
- Heavy vaginal bleeding- bleeding more than 2 pads for 2 hours in a row
- Severe Abdominal pain not relieved by medications and prevents one from doing light routine activities
- Temperature greater than 100.4 for more than 24 hours that does not decrease with the usage of Tylenol, Advil or similar products
Long Term Side Effects and Risks of Medical Abortion:
With today’s advanced surgical and medical techniques, modern medications, high tech medical equipment, highly trained and knowledgeable physicians, the chance of long term side effects, complications and risks associated with the medical abortion pill procedure using RU486 and Cytotec are minimal to none.
They include the following:
- 1) chronic pelvic pain,
- 2) Pelvic Inflammatory Disease,
- 3) infertility: the risk is minimal to none
- 4) severe discomfort with intimate contact
- 5) recent studies show that there is no increased risk of preterm births, small for gestational age infants, low birth weight infants or placental abnormalities (placenta previa, placental abruption).
How and Where To Get the Abortion Pill:
The Abortion Pill Procedure Medications used in the US are tightly controlled by the government due to the potential complications that may occur.
Where Can I Get The Pills?
- Private Physician Office who has experience with surgical and medical abortion procedures
- Abortion Clinics
- Hospitals
Can The Abortion Pill Be Performed Without Medical Supervision?
A self-induced or unsupervised medical abortion method should never be undertaken.
Home abortion kits can be purchased online from several companies. The FDA released a warning online to consumers in 1997 asking that they not purchase any home abortion manuals or miscarriage remedies online because of two primary reasons: 1) the products themselves have not undergone inspection by the FDA and there is no guarantee that the product itself is safe for consumption, and 2) pregnancy termination may at times be associated with significant side effects and complications including death.
Infection and severe heavy bleeding are the two most common causes of death when carrying out an abortion. Additionally; the medical abortion procedure has approximately a 1% chance of failure and the pregnancy can continue to grow.
The Misoprostol tablet used to carry out the abortion pill procedure is associated with an increased incidence of fetal abnormalities. It is therefore recommended, if the abortion process fails, the woman undergo a repeat dosage of the Misoprostol tablet or a surgical abortion aspiration procedure.
It is for these reasons that do it yourself abortions should not be attempted.
Women should seek physicians who are experienced in performing the Medical Abortion or Abortion Pill Procedures and who are well trained with using the single or combination of medications that are safe and efficient in carrying out the abortion process.
Physicians who perform abortions can be found in abortion clinics or in private practices.
The majority of hospitals in the U.S. do not allow elective or therapeutic abortions to be performed.
Abortion Pill Order Online Services are generally available to women living in parts of the world where legal abortion is not available. Abortion pill online order services provide information and instruction on how to perform safe medical abortion procedures.
Medical abortion pill procedures are able to cause miscarriage most commonly in early pregnancy (3 to 10 weeks gestation). The combination of two medications Mifepristone and Misoprostol are 94 to 99% effective for successfully terminating pregnancy.
The purpose of the services offered by www.buyabortionpillonline.com is to provide information for women who do not have access to a safe medical abortion in countries where abortion is illegal.
Over 20 million women living in parts of the world where abortion is not accessible are forced to seek illegal means of terminating unwanted pregnancy.
The majority of them are self-induced, while others may be performed by an herbalist or a lay person under dangerously unsanitary conditions.
Approximately 70,000 maternal deaths occur each year due to complications associated with illegal abortion.
Every 7 to 8 minutes a woman dies due to self-induced or improperly performed abortion.
Cost And Fees For The Medical Abortion Or Abortion Pill:
The cost of the abortion pill procedure in the U.S for 10 weeks or less varies from one geographic area to another. The range is generally from $0.00 to $2,000.00.
For patients who are further in pregnancy, the fee to terminate the pregnancy depends on the number of weeks they are. The price of the abortion process for patients who are 14.1 to 24 weeks ranges from $0.0 to $35,000.00.
Where Can I Get Cheap Or Free Abortion Pills?
Patients who qualify may receive a significant discount in the price of the medical abortion pill procedure if they meet certain criteria.
The cost of the abortion pill for Physicians, Abortion Clinics and Hospitals is not cheap. The abortion cost is less when generally performed in a Abortion clinic than a private physicians office or hospital.
The cost of the Abortion Pill RU486 and Cytotec (Misoprostol) are the same with or without health insurance.
From time to time the Orlando Women’s Center’s offer a No Cost or Free Abortion Pill Clinic – Same Day Service for patients who are 3 to 12 weeks pregnant at our Orlando and Tampa and locations.
This procedure may be performed on anyone up to 24 weeks in the State of Florida. All advanced pregnancies (17 weeks or greater) can be completed in less than 24 hours 99% of the time, without the need for surgery.
Patients who choose this Abortion Pill procedure may have the option to remain in the office until the process has been completed or go home and return to the office the following day or at their convenience.
Call Us Now For Same Day Appointment or visit our blog to see our latest articles about abortion.
The Orlando Women’s Center is a trusted healthcare facility dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive reproductive and gynecological care for women. With a focus on personalized services, the center offers expert medical support, including abortion care, family planning, and wellness services, in a safe and confidential environment.
Have a Question? Someone is available to answer your sexual health related question by
e-mail 24 hours 7 days a week at 24hourabortion@gmail.com
