What is The Abortion Pill?

Medication abortion is also referred to as an abortion pill, is a type of abortion that requires you to take two kinds of pills to end a pregnancy. It is a type of non-surgical pregnancy termination method. These pills are different from the morning-after pill that is usually taken after unprotected sex to prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The first abortion pill you have to ingest is mifepristone and the second one is misoprostol (also referred to as Cytotec). When used together, these two medicines make medication abortion more effective and decrease the chances of adverse effects. You can get these medicines through doctors or clinics providing abortion services. However, you should not purchase them from the black market or online under any circumstances.

How does the abortion pill work?

Both the medicines that you take will work in combination to end your pregnancy. The first medicine that you ingest is mifepristone. It blocks the progesterone hormone and breaks down the uterine lining; thereby, terminating your pregnancy. Approximately 24 to 48 hours post taking the initial pill; you will ingest misoprostol that causes uterine contractions and expulsion of the uterine lining and the embryo.

What is the effectiveness of the abortion pill?

These pills are extremely effective. When mifepristone and misoprostol are used in combination, they are about 98 percent effective. The effectiveness of an abortion pill reduces with every additional pregnancy week.

What are the Advantages of the abortion pill?

✔ You can get a medication abortion as soon as you find out that you are pregnant.

✔ You don’t need anesthesia during the procedure.

✔ Medication abortion is a less invasive procedure in comparison to a surgical abortion.

✔ The risk of perforation of the uterus is not present in a medication abortion.

✔ The cost of the abortion pills is less in comparison to a surgical abortion.

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Why is abortion counseling important?

Abortion can be a mentally stressful procedure, so counseling holds an important place in pre-abortion procedures. The main objectives of this counseling are to:

✔ Help the woman to make an informed decision.

✔ Provide knowledge about the procedure.

✔ Remove the anxiety related to the procedure.

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This counseling can be performed by a nurse, doctor, or even an experienced counselor. During counseling, the woman has given pregnancy options counseling and informed consent-related counseling. A woman may have a variety of reasons for opting for an abortion. The counseling helps in making the correct decision without any mental stress. The counseling also gives an opportunity to prepare the woman for possible adverse effects of the medical abortion. Your doctor will have to ascertain a few things before he/she can administer the procedure. These include the following investigations:

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✔ Ultrasound for confirmation of pregnancy and estimation of duration of pregnancy.

✔ Measurement of vital signs (Temperature, Pulse, Blood Pressure, Respiratory Rate)

✔ Blood grouping.

✔ Lab tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

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