Abortion Questions – Abortion Pill FAQs

No, use the same number of pills we recommend for everyone. Studies have shown that the success of the medication doesn’t decrease if you are overweight. You don’t need to take a different dose or more pills.

You don’t need to change the dose or the number of pills if you find out you’re pregnant with twins. The same procedure is used for twin pregnancies

No, each pregnancy is a unique event. If you used the abortion pills before, you don’t need a higher dose if you use it again for a different unwanted pregnancy.

If you have an intrauterine contraceptive device in the uterus (e.g. the coil or the progesterone IUD), you must get it removed before your medical abortion.

You can breastfeed as normal when having an abortion with pills. Mifepristone and misoprostol can enter the breast milk, but the amounts are small and it should not cause any side effects in the baby. If you are still nervous about it, you can breastfeed the baby, take the misoprostol pills, and wait 4 hours before you breastfeed again. If you need to take another round of misoprostol pills, breastfeed again before taking the pills. However, this is completely optional and up to your preference.

If you are living with HIV, just make sure you’re on antiretroviral medicines and your health is good.

If you have anemia (low iron levels in your blood), identify a health care provider who is no more than 30 minutes away that can help if you need it. If you are very anemic, consult a doctor before using the abortion pill.

No, using abortion pills early in pregnancy is safe even if you had a previous C-section delivery.

There has been no link found between mifepristone and birth defects. However, misoprostol does cause a slightly increased rate of birth defects. If you take misoprostol and you are still pregnant after taking the pills, you might have a natural miscarriage. If you do not have a miscarriage and carry the pregnancy to term, the risk of birth defects increases by 1% (one baby in 100).

No, it is not safe to use abortion pills if you know that you are at risk for ectopic pregnancy. Because you had a tubal ligation, we know there is scarring in your tubes (Fallopian tubes). That’s probably why your last pregnancy was an ectopic pregnancy. The Fallopian tubes are where an egg is fertilized with a sperm. The pregnancy starts to grow and move along the tube to the womb. If your tube is scarred, the early pregnancy can get trapped in the tube. As the pregnancy grows, it can cause the tube to break open. If the tube breaks open, this can cause major bleeding inside you, which is life threatening. You are at risk for another ectopic pregnancy. You should not use the abortion pills on your own until you have an ultrasound and are sure that the pregnancy is in the womb, not in your tubes.

First, you must know that you might not be aware of this condition unless you have had an ultrasound. Ectopic pregnancies are not viable so even in countries where abortion is not legal you could have access to a legal procedure to terminate this pregnancy.

As a trans man or non-binary person, it’s safe to have an abortion with pills. If you are taking masculinizing hormones, misoprostol or mifepristone will not interfere. These abortion pills can be safely used if you are using testosterone (T) and/or gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. However, you might encounter difficulties finding inclusive abortion care. Learn more about abortion care in your country.

Research indicates that medical abortion is most often recommended for pregnancies prior to 13 weeks since your last menstrual period. The HowToUseAbortionPill protocol is also intended for pregnancies up to 13 weeks. Abortion pills can be used later in a pregnancy, but require different protocols and considerations for safety. For more information, you can reach out to our friends at www.womenonweb.org. Or go to our country profiles to learn more about abortion resources in your country.

An abortion with pills is extremely safe and effective when used properly. An abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol works successfully over 95% of the time, and the chance of a complication is less than 1% up to 10 weeks gestation and 3% between 10 and 13 weeks gestation. When using misoprostol alone, the abortion has a success rate of 80-85%, and a chance of complication of 1-4% up to 13 weeks gestation. According to the World Health Organization, an abortion with pills can be safely and effectively self-administered at home as long as you have access to accurate information and quality-assured medicines.

There are two types of abortion pills, and each has a different mechanism of action. Mifepristone blocks the hormone needed for a pregnancy to grow, while the ingredients used in misoprostol work by relaxing and opening the cervix (the opening to the uterus) and causing the uterus to contract, which pushes out the pregnancy.

Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy.

Mifepristone blocks the hormone needed for a pregnancy to grow.

Yes, you can use misoprostol safely at home. When you take misoprostol pills, try to make sure that you’re in an area (like your home) where you have privacy and can lay down for a few hours after you take the pills. Having someone with you who can look after you and bring you hot tea or something to eat can be very helpful.

Do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes while you allow the misoprostol to dissolve. After 30 minutes have passed, you can drink water to swallow the remnants of the pills and, in general, as much water as you need to feel hydrated.

Yes, you can drink water to help you swallow the mifepristone.

There are two ways to use misoprostol: placing the pills in your vagina or under your tongue (sublingually). HowToUseAbortionPill suggests that you only use misoprostol under your tongue because it is more private (the pills dissolve faster and do not leave visible traces in your body) and has less risk of infection.

Both the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol and misoprostol-only are effective options. However, if available and affordable to you, the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol should be your preferred choice.

98 women in 100 will have a complete abortion if mifepristone and misoprostol are used. About 95 women in 100 will have a complete abortion if only misoprostol is used.

Mifepristone and misoprostol are used together because the pills complement each other. Mifepristone stops the pregnancy from growing. The medicine used in misoprostol works by relaxing and opening the cervix (the opening to the uterus) and causing the uterus to contract, which pushes out the pregnancy.

If you use misoprostol pills under your tongue, no one will be able to tell you used abortion pills, as you will swallow everything after 30 minutes. If someone asks, you can say you had a natural miscarriage. If you use misoprostol vaginally, the coating of the pill may not dissolve completely for a day or two. If you need to seek urgent medical care within 48 hours since you used misoprostol vaginally, the healthcare provider may see the white coating of the pill in your vagina. This is why HowToUseAbortionPill suggests using misoprostol under your tongue and not inside your vagina.

If you have an allergy to NSAIDs (including ibuprofen), acetaminophen (Tylenol/Paracetamol) is recommended as an alternative pain medication. It’s available over-the-counter in most countries. Take 2 tablets (325 mg tablets) every 4-6 hours as needed for pain. The maximum dose in 24 hours is 4000mg.

You should avoid using abortion pills at home following the HowToUseAbortionPill protocol if you are more than 13 weeks pregnant; if you are allergic to mifepristone or misoprostol; if you have serious health problems, including blood-clotting problems; or if you believe or know that the pregnancy is growing outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy).

Every abortion experience is different. You might experience more cramping and bleeding than during a normal menstrual period (if you have menstrual cramps). But it’s also normal if your cramping is mild and your bleeding is like a normal menstrual period. Other common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, fever, and headaches. However, you should feel better in less than 24 hours. If you start to feel sicker, then you should seek medical attention.

For some, cramping is very strong – much more painful than menstrual cramps (if you have menstrual cramps) and the bleeding is much heavier than a menstrual period. You might pass blood clots up to the size of lemons in the first few hours after taking misoprostol. For others, cramping is mild and bleeding is like a normal menstrual period.

Seek medical care if you don’t bleed or have little bleeding followed by severe pain (particularly in the right shoulder) that is not relieved by ibuprofen. This can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that is located outside of the uterus). While this is rare, it can be life threatening. You can also contact our friends at www.safe2choose.org to speak to a trained abortion counselor if you are concerned that the abortion was not successful.

Seek medical care if you soak through 2 regular pads per hour for 2 hours in a row after you think you have passed the pregnancy. Soaking through means that the pad is saturated with blood front-to-back, side-to-side, and through-and-through.

Take 3-4 ibuprofen pills (200 mg) every 6-8 hours to help alleviate your pain. Remember that you can also take ibuprofen before using misoprostol, too.

After the misoprostol has dissolved, you can eat as you like. Dry food (e.g. crackers or toast) may help with the nausea, while green leafy vegetables, eggs, and red meat can help recover the minerals lost during the abortion.

After the misoprostol has dissolved, you can drink any liquid you like (except alcohol).

Alcohol should be avoided during the abortion process to avoid affecting the efficiency of the medication. Alcohol may also cause increased uterine bleeding in some cases and decrease the effectiveness of other medicines taken to reduce pain or infection (when dealing with complications). In general, it is recommended to avoid alcohol until you confirm the abortion is complete and you are feeling in good health.

Most will pass the pregnancy within about 4 – 5 hours and feel better in less than 24 hours. It is normal to continue to see light bleeding and spotting until your next period in about 3 – 4 weeks.

It is normal to feel sick to your stomach, have diarrhea, chills, or even feel like you have a fever during this time. Most report they know when they have passed the pregnancy because the bleeding slows down, and they start to feel much better.

Complications in a medical abortion are very rare. However, it’s important that you are able to recognize possible signs of complication. If you experience heavy bleeding (soaking 2 regular pads per hour for 2 hours in a row), have extreme pain that does not get better after taking ibuprofen or start to feel sicker any day after you use misoprostol, you should seek medical attention.

Are medical abortions or at-home abortions legally restricted in your country? You may need to be careful about what you say. Medical abortion has the same symptoms as a natural miscarriage (also known as a spontaneous abortion). Therefore, you can say things like “I’m bleeding, but it doesn’t feel like my normal period.”

There are different ways to know if an abortion was successful. During the abortion, you might be able to identify that you passed the pregnancy tissue (this might look like small dark coloured grapes and thin membranes, or a small sac surrounded by a white, fluffy layer). This is an indication that the abortion was successful. However, it might not always be possible to identify the pregnancy tissue. Another indication of a successful abortion is disappearing pregnancy symptoms, such as breast tenderness and nausea.

A home pregnancy test is another way to confirm the success of an abortion. However, be aware that a pregnancy test might be positive for 4 weeks after your abortion, due to lingering hormones in your body. An ultrasound is only necessary if there are doubts whether the pregnancy was successfully terminated or if there is suspicion of complications (heavy bleeding or an infection).

There are different ways to know if an abortion was successful. During the abortion, you might be able to identify that you passed the pregnancy tissue (this might look like small dark coloured grapes and thin membranes, or a small sac surrounded by a white, fluffy layer). This is an indication that the abortion was successful. However, it might not always be possible to identify the pregnancy tissue. Another indication of a successful abortion is disappearing pregnancy symptoms, such as breast tenderness and nausea. A home pregnancy test is another way to confirm the success of an abortion. However, be aware that a pregnancy test might be positive for 4 weeks after your abortion, due to lingering hormones in your body. An ultrasound is only necessary if there are doubts whether the pregnancy was successfully terminated or if there is suspicion of complications (heavy bleeding or an infection).

An ultrasound is not required after an abortion with pills. An ultrasound is only necessary if there is suspicion of complications (heavy bleeding or infection) or if there are doubts whether the pregnancy was terminated. If you continue to feel pregnancy symptoms (have breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, etc.) after using the pills, you will need to consult with a healthcare worker for next steps. A possible next step could be to have an ultrasound, if deemed appropriate. For more information, you can reach out to our friends at www.womenonweb.org. Or go to our country profiles to learn more about abortion in your country.

You might need to have a surgical procedure if you’re still pregnant after taking the pills. Remember! Treatment for an incomplete abortion is widely available around the world. You have the right to this service, even if abortion is legally restricted in your country.

You can get pregnant again as soon as 8 days after a medical abortion. If you have sex, you should consider using contraceptives to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.

No, abortion pills do not cause birth defects in future pregnancies.

No, having an abortion with pills will not make it harder to get pregnant in the future.

Although abortion is common, we can find it hard to talk about. Abortion is still surrounded by misinformation, myths, and stigma. When you talk about abortion, try to use accurate information from reliable sources, avoid stigmatizing language and be inclusive in your language – a diversity of people have abortions. Although it may not always be easy, don’t start a debate. Instead, ask open-ended questions about people’s attitudes and experiences with abortion.

The legal status of an abortion with pills depends on where you live. In some countries, abortion is legal up until a certain amount of weeks of gestation, while in other countries abortion is legal under certain circumstances (for example, in case of rape or danger to the life of the pregnant person). Abortion pills are often legally available in countries where abortion is legal, although they may not always be used outside of a health facility. There are also countries where abortion is completely prohibited. Learn more about abortion in your country.

Everyone’s abortion experience feels different. Some feel relief and happiness, while others experience sadness. All emotions are normal. However, lasting negative feelings are rare. What can negatively impact your mental health is encountering stigma and judgment. Remember that you are not alone – abortion is common. Support from friends, family or local organizations can help.

Abortion methods should not be confused with methods to prevent pregnancy (contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception). Contraceptive methods work by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg) or by stopping the egg and sperm from meeting. Contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception, cannot be used to terminate or interrupt an established pregnancy. You can visit www.findmymethod.org to learn more about contraceptive methods.

Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are a safe and effective means of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. They work by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg) or by stopping the egg and sperm from meeting. ECPs will not terminate or interrupt an established pregnancy. ECPs are different from medical abortion regimens (which include mifepristone and misoprostol). Both treatments are of critical importance for reproductive health globally.

There are two common types of abortion methods: 1) Medical abortion: Medical abortions use pharmacological drugs to terminate the pregnancy. Sometimes the terms “non-surgical abortion” or “abortion with pills” are also used.
2) Surgical abortion: In surgical abortion procedures, a qualified professional will empty the uterus through the cervix to terminate the pregnancy. These procedures include manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) and dilatation and evacuation (D&E).

For additional information, you can contact our team at info@howtouseabortionpill.org