Abort a pregnancy

The Abortion Pill | Get the Facts About Medication Abortion

In This Section

The Abortion Pill
How does the abortion pill work?
What can I expect after I take the abortion pill?
How do I use the abortion pill?

How safe is the abortion pill?
How do I get the abortion pill?
How much does the abortion pill cost?

The Abortion Pill | Planned Parenthood Video

What is the abortion pill?

Medication abortion — also called the abortion pill — is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy.

How does the abortion pill work?

“Abortion pill” is the common name for using two different medicines to end a pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol.

First, you take a pill called mifepristone. Pregnancy needs a hormone called progesterone to grow normally. Mifepristone blocks your body’s own progesterone, stopping the pregnancy from growing.

Then you take the second medicine, misoprostol, either right away or up to 48 hours later. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to empty your uterus. It’s kind of like having a really heavy, crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage. If you don’t have any bleeding within 24 hours after taking the second medicine, call your nurse or doctor.

Your doctor or nurse will give you both medicines at the health center. When and where you’ll take them depends on state laws and your health center's policies. Your doctor or nurse will give you detailed directions about where, when, and how to take the medicines. You may also get some antibiotics to prevent infection.

How effective is the abortion pill?

The abortion pill is very effective. The effectiveness depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy when you take the medicine.

For people who are 8 weeks pregnant or less, it works about 94-98 out of 100 times.
For people who are 8-9 weeks pregnant, it works about 94-96 out of 100 times.
For people who are 9-10 weeks pregnant, it works about 91-93 out of 100 times. If you're given an extra dose of medicine, it works about 99 out of 100 times.
For people who are 10-11 weeks pregnant, it works about 87 out of 100 times. If you're given an extra dose of medicine, it works about 98 out of 100 times.

The abortion pill usually works, but if it doesn’t, you can take more medicine or have an in-clinic abortion to complete the abortion.

When can I take the abortion pill?

Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a medication abortion up to 77 days (11 weeks) after the first day of your last period. If it has been 78 days or more since the first day of your last period, you can have an in-clinic abortion to end your pregnancy.

Why do people choose the abortion pill?

Which kind of abortion you choose all depends on your personal preference and situation. With medication abortion, some people like that you don’t need to have a procedure in a doctor’s office. You can have your medication abortion at home or in another comfortable place that you choose. You get to decide who you want to be with during your abortion, or you can go it alone. Because medication abortion is similar to a miscarriage, many people feel like it’s more “natural” and less invasive.

Your doctor, nurse, or health center staff can help you decide which kind of abortion is best for you.

Where Can I Get The Abortion Pill & How Much Will It Cost?

In This Section

The Abortion Pill
How does the abortion pill work?
What can I expect after I take the abortion pill?
How do I use the abortion pill?

How safe is the abortion pill?
How do I get the abortion pill?
How much does the abortion pill cost?

You can get the abortion pill from a doctor, nurse, health clinic, or Planned Parenthood health center. You may be able to get the abortion pill for free or low cost.

Where can I get the abortion pill?

You can get medication abortion (AKA abortion pills) from many Planned Parenthood health centers. Our caring doctors and nurses are experts at providing safe abortion and non-judgmental support throughout the process. You can also get an abortion pills from some private doctors or gynecologists, family planning clinics, and abortion clinics. Even if your local Planned Parenthood health center doesn't provide abortion pills, you can call for more information about where to get them. You can also visit AbortionFinder.org.

Depending on where you live, there may be restrictions if you’re 17 years old or younger, or waiting periods to get an abortion. You can ask about these when you call your doctor or your nearest Planned Parenthood health center.

When you’re looking for a place to get an abortion, beware of “crisis pregnancy centers.” These are places that seem like normal medical centers, but they don't provide abortion or a full range of health care — they're actually run by people who want to scare or shame people out of getting an abortion. They often give you false or misleading information about pregnancy, abortion, and birth control, and they usually don't have to follow privacy laws. Your local Planned Parenthood health center or AbortionFinder.org can help you find a trustworthy abortion provider in your area.

Getting the abortion pill in the mail

In some states, you can do your visit online (AKA telehealth) and get your abortion pills mailed to you.

At this time, only some Planned Parenthood health centers are able to offer telehealth for the abortion pill (where the pills are mailed to you or you pick them up at your local pharmacy). The best way to learn about the services available in your area is to call your nearest Planned Parenthood health center. Below is a list of Planned Parenthood affiliates that currently offer virtual visits for the abortion pill. In order to have the pills mailed to you, you must have an address where you can receive the pills in one of the states listed below:

Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region - (IL)
Planned Parenthood Keystone - (PA)
Planned Parenthood of Maryland
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC Inc. (DC, MD, VA)
Planned Parenthood of Montana
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (MA)
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic (VA)
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (NV, NM, CO)
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai'i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (WA, HI)
Planned Parenthood North Central States (MN)
Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette (OR)

Contact your nearest Planned Parenthood health center to see if this is an option for you.

What’s a self-managed abortion?

Finding and taking abortion pills to end a pregnancy without the help of a doctor or nurse is called “self-managed abortion” (which some people call an “at-home abortion”). Research shows that self-managing an abortion with abortion pills (mifepristone and/or misoprostol) can be safe and effective. This is especially true for people who:

Usually have regular periods, are fairly sure of the first day of their last period, and are less than 10 weeks from the first day of their last period
Have access to good information about how to take the pills
Don’t have medical reasons why they shouldn’t use the pills (like inherited bleeding disorders, heart or kidney disease, still have an IUD in place, or think you have an ectopic pregnancy)
Could get to urgent care, if needed

As it gets harder for so many people to access abortion due to state laws, more and more people may choose self-managed abortion for lots of different reasons, like because they can’t afford to travel for care.

But, there may be legal risks to buying and using abortion pills outside of the health care system. Repro Legal Helpline has more information about this.

Plan C has more information about the difference between getting an abortion from a doctor or nurse, like the staff at your local Planned Parenthood, and a self-managed abortion, including legal considerations.

After taking abortion pills, it’s normal to have fever, chills, nausea, strong cramping and heavy bleeding for a day. If you’ve used abortion pills and have symptoms that worry you, like soaking more than 2 maxi pads an hour for more than 2 hours in a row, heavy bleeding for several days that causes dizziness, chills, and/or fever lasting more than 24 hours, go to an emergency room. Emergency doctors and nurses can care for you whether or not they know about a self-managed abortion. In fact, the symptoms after taking abortion pills are the same as a miscarriage. That information should make no difference in your treatment.

Remember that if you have any concerns about your health, including any symptoms you’re experiencing during or after an abortion, your local Planned Parenthood is available to help you, even if we didn’t provide your abortion. We can also help you get set up with birth control after an abortion.

If you can't get in touch with a Planned Parenthood health center, but still have questions about a miscarriage or abortion, the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline is a private and secure phone and text hotline, staffed by medical professionals. They are not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, but they may be able to provide helpful information.

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Termination of pregnancy, early and late medical abortion

Termination of pregnancy is one of the services of the gynecology department of the ArsVita clinic in Butovo. Patients are taken by doctors with extensive experience who use an individual approach. The clinic is equipped with the latest medical equipment, modern techniques have been introduced, the quality of services and the level of service meet the requirements of high standards.

Types of termination of pregnancy

It should be borne in mind that the risk of complications after termination of pregnancy increases along with its duration. The optimal time is 6-7 weeks (the restructuring of the woman's body has not yet begun). Pregnancy is interrupted by medication, vacuum or surgery. The gynecologist will recommend the safest method in a particular case, but the final decision is made by the patient. For a period after 12 weeks, the operation is performed only if there are medical indications.

Medical termination of pregnancy does not involve surgery. It consists of taking a drug that blocks the production of progesterone. This leads to spontaneous opening of the cervix and the release of the fetal egg. This technique is used only for up to 7 weeks. It is indicated for nulliparous young women, since the risk of developing serious complications is much lower than in the case of surgical or vacuum termination of pregnancy. To increase efficiency, a combination of two or more drugs is used. 1.5-2 weeks after the release of the fetal egg, a control ultrasound is mandatory. Self-administration of drugs for medical abortion is strictly prohibited, since, despite the relative safety of the technique, it has contraindications. nine0003

Vacuum interruption is more gentle than surgical, it is performed without general anesthesia. It is indicated for up to 8 weeks. Contraindications include infectious and inflammatory diseases. The most commonly used method is surgical. Before such an intervention, the patient must undergo an examination. Surgical intervention to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is carried out under anesthesia, it is associated with a significant risk of complications. nine0003

To make an appointment for an abortion in Butovo or a preliminary consultation at the ArsVita clinic, contact its staff by phone or fill out the appointment form on the website.

Reception and appointment for a paid consultation with a doctor, as well as to find out the exact prices of services and the cost of treatment, you can call the general phone of the Butovo clinic (Drozhzhino).

Planning and management of pregnancy. CTG >>

One click recording nine0003

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Moscow region

Medical abortion in the early stages of pregnancy in Nizhny Novgorod

Termination of pregnancy is an important step in the life of a woman about to do this. It is important to think carefully about everything, and also, to choose a clinic where you would like to have an abortion. After you have made up your mind, the question arises, where to have an abortion? Not all clinics are licensed to perform abortions, so if you want to have an abortion , the clinic that will perform it must have the appropriate permission.

In our country, at her own request, a woman can have an abortion for up to 12 weeks. There are also various indications for interruption pregnancy. Abortion for social reasons a woman can do up to 22 weeks, for medical - at any stage of pregnancy.

Abortion in this case is performed after determining the indications for it by a gynecologist and related specialists. The reason for termination of pregnancy for medical reasons can be both a serious pathology on the part of the woman and on the part of the fetus. Only a competent and experienced gynecologist will help you decide on the choice of the method of abortion - medical, mini-abortion or surgical. nine0003

The best is early termination of pregnancy . Early termination of pregnancy reduces the risk of complications in the future and can be carried out without the use of invasive techniques.

Early termination of pregnancy. Medical abortion

Medical abortion is one of the safest methods and an excellent alternative to surgical abortion. Medical abortion is performed up to 6 weeks of pregnancy. When holding medical termination of pregnancy in the early stages, drugs are used that, according to their mechanism of action, inhibit the synthesis of progesterone.

Medical abortion is performed only under the strict supervision of a gynecologist. After medical termination of pregnancy, an ultrasound scan is required to examine the uterine cavity.

Early termination of pregnancy using medical abortion method does not impair the woman's reproductive function. According to many studies, after medical termination of pregnancy, ovulation is restored in the shortest possible time. An additional positive quality of medical abortion is the possibility of its implementation directly on the day of treatment. nine0003

Early termination of pregnancy - mini-abortion

Mini-abortion as a method of early termination of pregnancy can be performed from 6 to 12 weeks. The main technique for mini-abortion is vacuum aspiration. The fertilized egg is removed from the uterine cavity using a special electric suction. This option for early termination of pregnancy is more gentle than the standard options for surgical abortion.

We must not forget that the sooner have an abortion , the lower the risk of complications.

The procedure takes about 5 minutes and the woman can go home within a few hours after the procedure. The uterine mucosa, unlike curettage, is slightly injured. A contraindication to abortion in this way is the presence of infection in the acute period. After the mini-abortion, a control ultrasound examination of the uterine cavity is performed.

Where to have an abortion? nine0052

Many women (especially young women), in order not to advertise their pregnancy, start looking for options, where to have an abortion . It must be remembered that it is most correct to have an abortion in a clinic, under the supervision of specialists, and not with the help of folk remedies.

An abortion made outside the walls of a medical institution that has the right to perform this manipulation is called criminal. A self-performed abortion by untested means can lead to serious consequences. In this case, a woman risks not only the possibility of having children in the future, but also her health. nine0003

Medical abortion

Termination of pregnancy by indications or at the request of a woman for a period of 6 to 12 weeks can be performed by curettage of the uterine cavity. This procedure is a surgical procedure and requires preparation. As with any other operation, all the necessary tests are given. Termination of pregnancy is carried out on an empty stomach, as the woman is given anesthesia.

In the postoperative period during the month you need to refrain from sexual intercourse, do not go to the sauna, bath, bathing in water, it is not recommended to take a bath. All these measures are aimed at preventing infection. nine0003

It is also not advisable to overcool, be subjected to excessive stress and physical exertion for a while. It is necessary to give the body a rest, so that in the future there will be no problems with conception.

After the abortion, it is necessary to visit a gynecologist. During the appointment, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination with obligatory ultrasound control, as well as select the optimal method of contraception, which will help to avoid unwanted pregnancies in the future, and therefore new abortions. A large number of abortions brings with it a large number of complications that can affect the reproductive potential of a woman. nine0003

Psychological support for a woman is also important, both before and after an abortion. The doctor in this case should be not only a competent specialist, but also a sensitive psychologist who can encourage the patient.

A great role is given to conversations with a woman, since she must understand that the doctor is on her side and in no case condemns the perfect act.

Within a month after the abortion, women should monitor their well-being.

If you experience pain, bleeding, fever or other unusual phenomena, you should definitely visit a gynecologist for a comprehensive examination and identify the cause of the symptoms. nine0003

Where to have an abortion in Nizhny Novgorod?

Termination of pregnancy in Nizhny Novgorod is performed by experienced specialists at Tonus Medical Center. It is possible to carry out manipulations at various stages of pregnancy. An abortion performed at Tonus Medical Center is a safe procedure carried out by highly qualified doctors who choose an individual approach to each woman and provide reliable medical care.