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Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Biology 103
2000 First Web
Report
On Serendip
Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Sujatha Sebastian
On September 28, 2000 the Food and Drug Administration after several years of research approved Mifepristone, better known as the "abortion pill", for distribution in the United States. The FDA's decision will have a definite impact on women's health care in the United States. There will be social and medical repercussions. The drug has caused controversy not only in antiabortion groups, but in Pro-Choice groups as well. Critics are worried that an abortion available in pill form will be "too easy". They are worried that use of the pill will be abused. What many people do not realize is that while Mifepristone will be beneficial to women's health care, it is not without side effects. In light of all the recent coverage that the "abortion pill" has been given in the media, and all the misinformation surrounding it, I decided researching that Mifepristone would be interesting and helpful. The purpose of my paper is to discover how Mifepristone works, how it is administered, and to look at its side effects. I want to demonstrate the benefit Mifepristone will be to women's health care, while showing that it is not an "easy" solution to abortion."Mifepristone, formerly known as RU-486, is a medical alternative to aspiration abortion."(1) It works by blocking progesterone from being absorbed into the uterus. When this happens the uterus sheds the endometrium (lining in the uterus, therefore inducing menstruation. (2 When Mifepristone is used as a method for abortion is it administered as part of a three step process. The first step is that 200 mg of Mifepristone is given orally in a doctor's office. Then within 24 to 48 hours the patient is given 400 mg a drug called Misoprostol either orally or in a suppository form. Misoprostol, which is a synthetic hormone, is used to get the cervix to soften and dilate as well as getting the uterus to relax. The embryo is then expelled.(2) This is supposed to happen approximately fours hours after the administration of the drug. The final step is an examination by a medical professional to make sure the abortion is complete. (2)
There are restrictions as to who can use this medical method of abortion. It is only intended for women to use up to nine weeks after their last menstruation period. Women who are under 18 or over 35, epileptic, diabetics, or suffering from heart, lung, kidney, liver, stomach or intestinal disorders are ineligible. As are women who have taken steroids within the past 12 months, or deemed overweight or a heavy smoker. Women who have used an IUD or hormonal contraceptive within three months prior to conception are not allowed to take Mifepristone as well.(2)
Like any drug or medical method there are side effects to using Mifepristone and Misoprostol. It is the number of side effects and degree of each that critics argue about. The FDA has determined that taking Mifepristone does cause various degrees of pain. Short term physical effects can be pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.(2) There are psychological side effects as well. In some cases products of the conception are visualized. (3)
The use of Mifepristone will have a definite impact on reproductive freedom in this country and the world. (3) It is seen as less invasive procedure which gives the woman more freedom and privacy. In the United States it has been reported by the Alan Guttmacher Institute that eighty-nine percent of the abortions occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Mifepristone will allow women another option to terminate a pregnancy in its early stages. (2) Twenty-four percent of the world's population lives in places where abortion is not legal. (3) As a result a significant population of women perform their own abortions or receive illegal abortions which kills them. The medical method of abortion would allow women in these areas of the world to receive a safe method of abortion.
A major issue that critics of Mifepristone have is that they feel that the drug will allow abortions to become "too easy". But the drug is only administered in a medical office and requires at least three visits. The last visit is an examination to see that the abortion is complete and that the mother is in good health. Before the patient is given Mifeprex tablets (Mifepristone) she must sign an agreement in which she acknowledges that there are side effects, that there is a three step process, and that 5 to 8 women out of every hundred do not have successful medical abortions and need surgical abortions . (5) Critics worry that the drug will cause an increase in the number of women who have abortions. Supporters of the drug cite the fact that in France, where the drug is manufactured and was first administered, there has not been an increase in the abortion rate. (2)
Mifepristone will change the way that abortions are administered. This method gives a woman more autonomy and does not require her to go through surgical procedure. It can also prevent pregnancy by taken as soon as a day after she has had intercourse. This new method will allow more women to have access to safe abortions. Mifepristone opens the door to a new area of medicine in which previously surgical procedures are now approached in a medical manner. Whether in support of or against Mifepristone one has to recognize the new technology the drug represents.
One of the problems I had when researching information was finding unbiased information. Both pro and anti Mifepristone groups used "research" and statistics to their benefit. Distinguishing the difference between opinion and fact was difficult. This is especially true because there is not a lot of accurate information about Mifepristone published by reliable sources. This is due to the fact that Mifepristone has just recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone that will be beneficial to women's health care and medicine. But one must realize that it is not without side effects and cannot be seen as an "easy" solution to abortion.
WWW Sources
1)www.plannedparenthood.org/mifepristone.html, Mifepristone2)www.rascalnut.com/naral.ohio/RU486.html, The Facts about Mifepristone (RU 486)
3)www.mja.com.au/public/issues/sep15/henshaw/henshaw.html, Mifepristone
4)http://jinx.sis.unsw.edu.au/~greenlft/1994/137/137p28htm, "Abortion Pill": A Woman's Right to Choose by, Kath Gelber
5)www.popcouncil.orgrhpdev/mifeprex/patient%5Fagreement.html,The Patient Agreement Mifeprex (Mifepristone) Tablets
6) www.pages.map.com/lroberge/ru486.htm, RU486: The Hidden Effects by Lawrence F. Roberge
6) www.nrlc.org/ru486/propsedFDAregs.html, RU486 *Please note that some of the sources read during my research were from biased sources (the National Right to Life Committee web site for example). Facts were not used from these sources in my paper. These sources were instead used to discover the arguments anti-Mifepristone groups had and to see the false information they were publishing about the drug.
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08/06/2005, from a Reader on the Web I took that pill and almost blead to death now i have have to say it's not as easy as it sounds it is very painful like child birth but more blooder atleast for me i now have endromitrious and may have to have my women parts removed i had nothing before i took those pills i'm 37 so i'm just saying better think it out before you take it because it's dangerious i have a son who is 18 it was easier for me to have him then go through childbirth than taking those pills becuse i'm still not well and it has been 7 months
For what it's worth, I though I'd share my personal experience using Mifepristone almost a month ago.. After having made the difficult choice to abort, I learned of this pill as an alternative option to having the traditional surgical procedure. Of course, as anyone would, I opted to try the pill because it seemed -less- painful and was something I could do in the privacy of my own home. After having been given the first pill, Mifepristone, at the doctors office on a Friday afternoon, I finished out my day at work with minimal side-effects at that point. The Mifepristone made me slightly sick to my stomach, but compared to the ongoing morning sickness I'd been going through, it wasn't so bad. (ha ha) Misoprostol was the next step, given to me in the form of 4 tablets, to be inserted vaginally myself at home. I was also given a full bottle of Vicodin, as well as a bottle of 800mg Ibuprophen for the pain the doctor anticipated I would encounter (this worried me a little). Late Satuday afternoon, I'd say around 4:30pm, scared to death not knowing what to expect once everything started, and knowing I couldn't turn back now, I inserted the tablets and took 1 Vicodin as directed. About 30 minutes from the time I did this I began to have cramping comparable to what you would feel during a typical menstrual period.. but not for long. Within an hour I had severe cramping.. I'd been warned the pain could equal that of actual child-birth contractions, and this must have been it. (I've never had a child, so I can only imagine) I was to the point of feeling like I would pass out if the pain didn't let up when I passed the first, and largest, portion of what -was- the pregnancy.. Many people will tell you that all you'll see is blood and clots, and it's unlikely anything will look like actual tissue.. but mine sure did.. Large masses of gray tissue were expelled for the following numerous hours. Somewhere close to midnight that night I felt relief enough to know it was over.. or so I thought. 4 days after this, while I -should- have been feeling more or less back to normal, I began to experience increasing pain in my abdomen. I called and spoke with my doctor about this, but felt as though she didn't seem concerned at all. No more than 2 hours after hanging up the phone I developed a fever that shot through the roof out of nowhere, and my heart began beating unbelieveably TOO fast. The "increasing pain" in my abdomen now had me laying in bed, hardly able to move. I called my mother who left work and rushed to my home to get me. I couldn't even get out of bed to let her in when she arrived I hurt so bad. I ended up in the emergency room that afternoon with a heartbeat of 143 beats/min.. (Check your own and then you'll see just how high 143 is) and a 103 temperature I ended up fighting to keep away for the next 4 days. To make a long story short, that first afternoon I spent over 8 hours in a treatment room in the emergency area before they got my vitals under control and discovered the cause of everything.. The abortion pill I used began attacking my own body in a sense, and began a horrendous infection in my uterus. In the end I spent a week in the hospital on 3 of the most potent anti-biotics available, as well as some heavy-duty narcotic pain killers, while specialists from the surrounding hospitals kept watch over me constantly. It's now been almost a month since then, and I still have to have blood work done, as well as ultrasounds every now and then to keep monitoring my recovery. I have constant sharp pains in my abdomen and have been told the scar tissue left over from the infection may now keep me from becoming pregnant in the future.. It's all so much to deal with, and honestly, I don't think I've come to terms with everything yet. It still feels like a bad dream. Regardless of my experience with the pill and side effects it caused me, I can still step back and look at the broad picture of things.. The majority of women who use this method have no problems, and for them, this is a good way to go. I really do think it's a better choice for most, than to have the surgical abortion.. BUT - be warned.. It's not "easy" using the pill, and there's no way to know how you're body will react to it. I never knew I'd go through the things I did because of it. This is definitely not something to be looked at as the "new contraceptive" either, as some are saying. It's so risky, putting your body through something like this. It could take a toll on you that will effect the rest of your life. Like me.. Will I ever be able to have kids after everything that happened? Every woman out there should begin by being aware of how to avoid an unwanted pregnancy from the start. Such as life happens, and most protection only offers 99.9% effectiveness, we forget that's NOT 100%.. If you still become pregnant and choose to abort, do your homework.. read about all possibilities, and all side effects for each.. then decide what's best for you. I think the pill is a great option.. but be careful, it's certainly not without it's flaws.
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| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
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Comments
i do believe that everyone is different,however,
my experience was so painless, i couldnt believe how so many people have said 'it was the most painfull thing ever!'. i took the last 4 tablets vaginally yesterday; midday, and now i feel fit as a fiddle, i took one codine as instructed, and used a hotwater bottle just to keep warm. although the process was relatively pain free i did have chills, i just stayed on the toilet for 3 hours and waited for the worst of the bleeding to pass (not that there was much) and let nature take its course. i was only 5weeks and 2 days pregnant, which was probably why i found it physically easy, however, as any normal person, it will put emotional strain on my boyfriend and i, even though it was the best thing for me and my depression! i was told to expect big clots, however, i had tiny ones: no bigger than a pea. the process was so not what i had expected that i phoned the aftercare to check everything was normal. SO PLEASE, if you are getting scared by all of the stories, it may not be that bad for you... you could be one of the lucky ones! just dont expect to feel emotionally well straight away. i am due to go back for a check up in 2 weeks time to check the process is complete, so i will pray to god for now. and hopefully have planned, beautiful children in the future! good luck to anyone who is going through this! i wish you all the best! p.s just make sure it is YOUR DECISION, no one else's!
having an abortion das nt
having an abortion das nt unpregnant u, it makes u a mother of a dead child killed by u
ridiculous!
This is mostly aimed at you…
having an abortion das nt
Submitted by Serendip Visitor (not verified) on Fri, 11/19/2010 - 8:41am.
having an abortion das nt unpregnant u, it makes u a mother of a dead child killed by u
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You’re pathetic. If you are going to come onto this site and judge people for something you know absolutely nothing about at least learn to spell properly. The comments you make are rather ignorant and hold no meaning. Please educate yourself properly before you go spouting misspelled nonsense.
P.s. leave the Judgments to god as I think it’s safe to assume you are no saint. "All sins are considered equal in the eyes of the lord" and if not than that’s not your problem. Let us deal with our own damnation (should that be our fate) and you deal with yours.
Have a lovely day!
Best Regards
It is ignorant people like
It is ignorant people like you who trample on all woman's first amendment rights...having an abortion is not an easy decision and woman should not be criticized for what they chose to do with their own body
Sometimes the government
Sometimes the government makes mistakes. Blacks aren't people, jews aren't people. It isn't ignorance noticing something that everyone thinks is right is wrong. You are all lieing to yourselves. There are mothers out there who became so stressed with there life they thought there was no other choice than to kill there young children. I'm sure it was a hard choice for them to finally make. The only differences between those women and you are that they are in Jail where murderers deserve to be and you are a poor victim of pregnancy. Look into history at the real suffering some women have gone through and realize how ridiculously insufficient your suffering is. For once care about somebody other than yourself, and give your child to somebody who deserves it.
The Pill Did Not Work For Me
Unfortunately when I took the pill it did not work. Once it was time to insert the pill in my vagina, the pill dissolved almost completely. I bleed a little bit and that was it. Obviously later on I had to pay almost $1000 on top of what I spent to get a regular abortion e procedure. Do I recommend it, yes and no. No because I am not for abortion. And yes because women have a choice to do what they want with their bodies. I may not agree with the idea of murder. However, the pill is less invasive. Just make sure to go to your follow up appointment to make sure everything is okay.
Your not for abortion yet you
Your not for abortion yet you had an abortion? That makes no sense what so ever.
help!
i took the first pill yesterday an i really regret doing it i am going in tomorrow for the actual abortion an i really dont want to do it is there any chance i can carry on with the pregnancy? pleasse help me :(
No once u take that first
No once u take that first pill, its to late to go back and continue to have the baby. i did the same thing and they said it was to late because it stops the hormones that goes to the baby. & i started bleeding the next day :(
misoprostol is an ulcer medication
Hello everyone. I live in a country where abortions are
Illegal. I read now that there are other people in
Countries like mine. An ulternative to the abortion pill is
Medication (pills) used for stomach ulcers. U drink one and viginall insert the other 4
I would advice anyone to first do their research and if possible ask for medical advice from a health worker
Its not fair that our governments won't legalize it, forcing us into situations
Where we are not ready, AND in most cases pregnancies are not planned for.
I advice the stomach ulcer medication, which is safer if taken correctly, than some of ther methods used here.
Its really really sad at the number of lifes lost due to back door abortions, and some of the these girls drink!!
Goodluck 3rd worl people. NB research. And there are websites
To help countries like ours.
My experience from yesterday
I went to PP on Friday, 11/12/10 where they confirmed my pregnancy at 7 weeks and 5 days. I was given the Mife in the clinic at 11am. I was told the Mife blocks a vital hormone from getting to the fetus and in turn stops the fetus from growing. I had no side effects from the 1st pill. I was told to take the 4 Miso pills at 11am the following day. The Miso pills induce contractions. I was extremely nervous and terrified after reading some of the comments on this site. My boyfriend told me I shouldn't read the comments because many are likely posted by anti-choice/pro-life activists. Anyway, on the night of 11/12/10, I took the antibiotic I was given in the clinic to avoid infection. On the morning of 11/13/10 (yesterday), I ate a small bowl of oatmeal and a half raisin cinnamon bagel at 8am and then I took my antibiotic at 8:30am. I was still very nervous because I didn't know what would be happening to me soon. I decided to eat some chicken noodle soup and crackers at 10am, just before taking the pills.
I took my temperature, blood pressure, and pulse because I wanted to monitor my vitals throughout the process since I would not be around any healthcare professionals (I'm also in the healthcare field so I wanted to be on the safe side). At 10:30am I took a phenergan for nausea, at 11am I put the 4 pills between my cheeks and gums, at 11:30am I swallowed what was left of the pills (which was a lot because my pills didn't really dissolve). At 12pm, I took 600mg Ibuprofen and 1 Tylenol with Codeine. I was surprise by how fast everything happened. At 12:00pm I began to bleed lightly and by 12:30pm the cramps started and they were pretty moderate; I also passed a small pea sized blood clot. By 12:45pm, the cramps became more intense and by this point the heating pad that I had been using was useless. At 1:00pm I called my boyfriend to come upstairs because I could tell the worse was coming. As soon as he came up, I took another Codeine (although looking back, it was too late to catch up with the pain). I immediately began to feel light-headed. I ran to the bathroom, humped over from the pain, and I got on my knees in front of the toilet and began to vomit. I suddenly developed a fever and I was worried about passing out. I told my boyfriend to get my an ice pack which provided relief.
At this point I was still only bleeding lightly. After I vomited, I took another phenergan for nausea and tried to lay down but I was too uncomfortable. I found the toilet was the only place that provide minor relief. For about 5 minutes on the toilet (approx. 1:15pm), the pain from the cramps was very intense and my boyfriend was rubbing my back and my shoulders which was a little soothing. I began pushing as hard as I could and then all of a sudden, the cramps just stopped. It was sort of abrupt but I was very relieved. There were a lot of small (nickel sized) blood clots in the toilet. I went to lay down and about 15 minutes later I felt a strong urge to urinate, as soon as I got up I felt something sliding down inside of me. As soon as I sat on the toilet, there was a big splash and a lot of bleeding that followed. When I looked in the toilet, there was a big mass of tissue with blood connected about the size of a golf ball and it was connected to another oval shaped mass of tissue about 1.5 inches. My boyfriend and I were inspecting it and we figured it was some type of pregnancy tissue...I don't think it was the fetus but I guess it could have been.
I have still been having mild cramps since yesterday afternoon and the bleeding is moderate. I am continuing my antibiotics and I go for my follow up appointment in two weeks to make sure all the pregnancy came out. If I could do anything differently, I would take 2 codeine pills and 800mg Ibuprofen as soon as I swallowed the Miso pills rather than 30 minutes after (which I was instructed). It all happened so fast and I don't think I took enough pain medication and I didn't take it early enough. Just an FYI, I'm a 28 years old, 5'7", and 165 lbs.
I'm surprised so many people went the hours of on ordeal. Mine lasted about 30 - 45 minutes. All women are different with varying tolerances of pain. Don't think that your experience will be like mine because we are very different.
just took the pill
yesterday i went into the doctors office and they gave me the pill to stop the growth of the fetus....i only felt so guilty putting that pill in my mouth i literally wanted to spit it out but i swallowed it...after i tool that pill i didnt feel to bad my stomack just felt a little queasy.today at 315 i took the cytotec(misoprostyl)and within 20 to 30 mins after i started feeling the cramps at first they were like normal period cramps but within the hour they progressed and instantly felt like contractions i was literally on the floor crying for about almost 3 hours...it is 8:50pm rite now and i have barely began to feel relief...the tissue i passed wasnt to big everytime i would feel the tissue pass i felt horrible.i feel like a murderer i honestly hate myself for this.now everyday for the rest of my life im going to wonder weather it was a boy or girl.i honestly hate myself because i was given the chance at life,yet i kept something beautiful and innocent from having a chance at theirs.the thoughts that run through your head wen ur going through this are unexplanable...if i can take everything back i honestly would do it in a heart beat.so for those of you who are curious about taking the pill or interested i would honestly think twice think really hard cause i was sure of wat i wanted but wen i walked into that doctors office everything changed for me.it wasnt worth it for me i would rather have had my bby then flushed it down the toilet :(
did anyone..
did anyone bleed after taking the first pill? im due to take the second ones later today but im already bleeding pretty heavily..is this normal..
i wish i never did it...you
i wish i never did it...you can actually see the baby, it had hands, fingers, eyes, yea it can only fit into the palm of your hand but its still alive. If i could go back in time i would have done things differently, like own up to my actions and responsibilities and raise my child. Now that i actually want to have a child im having a really hard time getting pregnant, i guess thats what i get for doing what i did...
if u can sleep at 9t, den do
if u can sleep at 9t, den do it
Hi. I think im already 5mos pregnant.
Hi. I think im already 5mos pregnant. I got the pill yesterday 800mg misoprostol 4tabs at around 11am intra vaginally. im on 18th hr now still no bleeding. I dont really want to have surgical abortion. I know im quite late for this but it kept me waiting for the pill to be available since its mostly out of stock so i got this far. i still have 6 more tabs with me. Ill be doing it again on my 24th hr later. is there still any hope? wish me luck.
This story is so made
This story is so made up...there is no doctor in their right mind that would give you the abortion pill at 5 months pregnant....either you're some crazy activist trying to mess with woman struggling with this decision or you're just crazy
i disagree
I am sorry but I disagree due to fetal abnormalities I am 17 weeks pregnant and I just took my first pill mifepristone and in 48 hours I have to go to hospital for the night to complete the termination.... I am so scared but opted for a medical termination over a surgical so they do use abortion pills up to 20 weeks gestation I think the difference is you are moniterd in hospital for 24 hours...
HOW COULD YOU?
I am sorry i read your story and honestly it made me cry for you, i dont know why or how you could have done that. there are people like myself out in the world who would die to have a child and you just threw it away at 8 months pregnant. I feel for you and i hope that god forgives you for this.
She stated herself as 17weeks
She stated herself as 17weeks pregnant not 40weeks
And she has every right to do so as a mother, I'm sure she had to make incredibly hard choice and with a good reason at that late stage in pregnancy. Please don't say it like "threw away" as if it is an easy choice for every woman.
Not every woman can have a child or is in the right circumstances to pass pregnancy. There will always be women looking to be pregnant and women who has no choice but to terminate. Neither can blame the other.
I took it yesterday
I took the first pill in the office 2 days ago, then the next day put the 4 pills in my cheeks. They dissolved in 5 minutes. 30 minutes later I felt like I was getting my period, so I knew something was coming. Then I started to feel cramping. It got strong fast.
I was told to take 800 mg of ibuprofin and darvocet which was the painkiller they gave me. However I had some vicodin which I looked online and it was stronger than the darvocet, so I took that instead.
I was not worried about the pain because I had the vicodin which I thought would make it fine. I took 1/2 a pill at a time, and ended up taking 2 pills in 4 hours. My body was numb from the vicodin and I was pretty much high off of it, but it did NOTHING for the cramps, which I think is just crazy.
The cramps got realllllllyyy bad. I was on the floor of the bathroom for 4 1/2 hours in so much pain. I really can't believe they let you go through such pain. I'm not going to lie, it was serious.
The bleeding wasn't as much as I expected. Like having a heavy period, and the clots weren't that big.. they told me it was normal to have them up to the size of a lemon, but nothing like that.
I feel like the pain is looked at like it's natural or something, sort of like childbirth, so it's ok, but that pain was not ok. I can't see any other situation where any doctor would send a patient home to experience pain like that and I can see I'm not the only one from the other posts. I'm really upset that they don't give something more for it. It was really bad. Maybe not everyone has that experience and I hope not but I did.
I was early around 6 weeks so I thought I would be fine too.. It ended after 4 1/2 hours abruptly and I was soooo relieved. Now that its over I'm happy, but during it I questioned if it wouldn't have been easier to just have it done with aspiration.
I mean, if 2 vicodin and 8 ibuprofin can't help, doesn't that seem wrong?
abortion
i think de pain is an easy fee 2 pay 4 taking a lyf
abortion
thats just sick saying "i think de pain is an easy fee 2 pay 4 taking a lyf"
i think ur a twat for being so insensitive ! NICE ONE !
SO U WERE SENSITIVE WEN U
SO U WERE SENSITIVE WEN U KILLED AN INNOCENT SOUL
What happens when to that
What happens when to that innocent sou lwhen it has fetal abnormalities and is lucky to stay alive for a few days after birth if it makes it till then....Some people who have to make the heart breaking dission to not continue go on these sight for support and information on what they are about to go through and people like you need to stay of them keep your opinion to your self and go back to that bible and read god does not judge..... Also its people like you that r either to ugly to get a partner to concieve or r jeloues cause they cant... Karma sux maybe if you stop judging everyone when you dont know their situation you may actually realise it is sometimes taken out of peoples hands and if your ever pregnant and get told that your child has all types of chromosonal defects and will be pretty much be mentaly retarded lets see what you would do.....
You can't kill a soul!!
and this isn't religion based so f-off..
if you have never had an abortion
if you have never had an abortion and are not planning on it stay off these sites its none of your bussiness i have a 2 and a half year old and about 5 weeks ago i had a medication abortion and i am still bleeding is this normal? i didnt get the chance to go in for my check up and now i wish i would have i know it worked but i am worried i may need a dnc like you have to have with alot of miscarraiges i will bleed heavy like a period for about a week it tapors off to almost nothing for a few days to a week then i start bleeding again i do not regret my decision it was a hard one to make but we are currently going through alot and i just felt like it wasnt fair to my daughter to have another baby i also do not want more kids ever even though i am only 19 i konw i will not have more
Good Experience compared to all these stories
I am a 29 year old mother of 4 children. My husband and I decided we didn't want children 4 years ago. But, we accidently got pregnant. I knew if this ever happened getting an abortion would be the answer. I liked to be well informed before I go into any situation if possible. So I read and read lots of information on many sites. Most of the stories I read were very frightening but I did not let that dissuade me from my decision. I'm glad I didn't because my experience with the abortion pill wasn't bad at all. I was about 4 weeks along and have went through 2 misscariages prior. So I guess I have had my share of experiences with this. I took the 1st pill on a Wednesday and didn't feel a thing. The antibiotics made me sicker. Then on Friday I took the nausea pill before taking the 2nd set. I waited the 30 min. as told then washed it down with some juice, not bad at all. I should mention I ate 2 toast with jelly and butter before the 2nd set because the nurse said to have a full stomach before taking the 2nd set. I felt fine the entire time. I went about my morning. I made breakfast for the kids and washed some laundry. A little less than 2 hours later I passed a golf ball size of bloody tissue. I'm sure it was the pregnancy. I got some cramping but took my ibuprofen and vicodine ritually every 4 hours. But, I'm sure I probably didn't need it. It's just all these stories about the awful pain had me going. 10 hours later and I feel fine. I'm so happy to be almost back to my old self. As a mother of 4 children I do not want anymore so this was a great stress and relief taken off of me. I'm sure it may be hard for some if you do not know what to expect. I hope this helps someone who might be scared about taking this medication. No 2 women are alike so I'm sure everyone has a unique experience to share. You don't know what you will go through until you do it.
I'm happy your experience was
I'm happy your experience was so easy, i've been reading all these comments and now i'm just terrified to get the abortion. But your experience seemed so easy, I know it differs from person to person. But hopefully i'll be as lucky as you.
I'm sorry baby..
Hi, I new I was pregnant a week before period. Anyways I decided to get my self checked by my gp who did a pregnancy test which was negative, but I stil knew it was wrong, she aswed me to hang on until I missed my period, which I did, did a test n it instantly showed positive, I wasn't shocked, as I already knew, but I also new I could not keep my baby, my partner is really supportive of wat ever decision I make, but we both r not really ready dor a child, so my gp referred me to the abortion clinic, I have been for my assessment n had a scan, n seeing my baby for the 1st time, n seeing it's heart beating brought tears to my eyes. So beautiful. I'm 7 weeks now, and going for a medical termination on Wednesday, reading people responses n experiences has really made me think, but I cannot keep my baby, my parents would disown me!
what did u decide?
what did you decide? Did u have the abortion or not?
sorry baby
hw old are? and u boyfrend. u no which eva decision u take , its gona affect ur lyf 4eva. ether financially,medically, emotionally and relationship wise. think twice
..REGRETING AN ABORTION.
...IF AT ALL YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT, DONT DO IT. ME AND MY BF LIVE TOGETER AND STRUGGLE TO GET BY. I WAS 6 1/2 WEEKS WHEN I TOOK THE PILL. IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE..INSTEAD OF SURGICAL, TAKE THE PILL... ITS MORE HUMAINE. IF THERE IS SUCH A THING....YOUR PARENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR YOUR BABY AS THIS IS THE SAME LOVE THEY FEEL FOR YOU......I GOT THE ABORTION, AND IT KILLED ME. 1 YR LATER I GOT PREGNANT AGAIN ( AND WE KEPT IT. IM STILL W. THE SAME GUY. I NPW HAVE THIS HEAVY GUILT OVER ME, THAT IF HIM N I WERE GUNNA HAVE A BABY NEWAY, WHY DID MY FIRST BAY HAVE TO DIE? ITS HORRIBLE. AFTER THE ABORTION I TRUELY THOUGHT ABOUT SUICICE. ITS HORRIBLE AND TRUST ME YOU WILL REGRET IT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE.......DONT DO IT.
your right i feel absolutely
your right i feel absolutely the same way. I took the abortion pill also and now that i actually want to get pregnant im having a hard time, ive been trying for months and i get a negative result each time. i guess thats what i deserve for doing what i did...
say amen!
gal, u gotta rejoice de second chance u have been given. so dont get it. let God give u de power 2 accept de things dat u cant change and give u de wisdom 2 raise dis baby wif soo much love. take dat skeleton out of ur closet and bury it.
my experience
Hi everyone I took the second dose yesterday at 3 and I wanted to share my experience to get stuff off my chest and to possibly help someone out. I found out I was pregnant this past Sunday, right before I was scheduled to have my first college midterm at 3:00pm on Monday. Good timing. The father is a guy I've known for only a short time (about 3 months) but we have become really close since we've met. However, our relationship is more a friendship with sex included than an actual commitment-oriented relationship. We actually decided to break off the sexual part of our relationship right before I found out I was preg. I still have not told him, and don't plan on it. It would make a sticky situation even sticker for no reason, since I've chosen to abort. Yesterday morning, around the time I was due to take the misoprostol (2nd dose), I found out that his ex-girlfriend is town and that she's going to be staying with him. In his one-bedroom apartment. Hm. Anyway, I retreated to my room, alone, to go through with this procedure. I was very scared since I was completely by myself, I hadn't told anyone I was pregnant/aborting, and I had read probably over 50 horror stories about the pill on websites such as these. My doctor told me to eat substantially before taking the 4 misoprostol pills orally and I did so (I ate a veggie sub). I bought some huge, diaper-like pads, also. The, I put a pad into my underwear, took two Tylenol-3 pills, one Promethazine pill, and finally put the four pills inside my cheeks and let them dissolve. I chugged some water and waited for the pain, bracing myself. I felt absolutely fine for two hours. Taking the pain medication early definitely helps. I hadn't started bleeding at all yet, and I knew hours 3 and 4 were just around the corner, so I took another pain pill (Tylenol-3) in anticipation. Surely enough, I felt some strong cramps, like the kind that would wake me up in the first or second night of my period sometimes, but I could definitely handle them. Then, I got up to check my bleeding rate. A small bit of blood. I peed; a large blood clot toppled out into the toilet. No biggie. It was gross, but I expected it. As I was walking back to bed, I felt suddenly faint, dizzy and sweaty. I felt kind of like I was going to pass out, but the feeling passed quickly. Then, the worst of the worst set in. I've never had a child, so I don't know what labor contractions feel like, but I imagine they feel like this. I laid in bed, squirming, for a straight 45 minutes. It felt like a pendulum attached to a knife was swinging in my uterus. Basically, the pain was a rolling pain. I would feel nothing for three seconds and then intense pain for 5 seconds then nothing then intense pain, etc. It lasted for less than an hour, it just took a lot of mental strength to get through alone. I wish I could've had a close friend or my mom with me. The cramps eventually subsided and I fell asleep for two hours. When I woke up, I felt fine and took a shower. I was bleeding pretty heavily all night, soaking about 1 pad per hour and a half. It's the next day and I feel totally fine; I even feel refreshed and rested. I'm sad that I had to do this. No one wants to have an abortion, but sometimes it must be done. I'm 18 years old, I'm a college freshman, and I have my entire life ahead of me to have a child that I want. I love children and it really broke my heart to do this, whether you believe me or not. Last night, I wept for this situation and my unborn baby. I was only 5 weeks along so the baby was still quite small, but I could still feel its heartbeat before I had the abortion. I know, though, that nothing good could've come from this baby's birth. Before I knew I was pregnant, I had been drinking heavily and smoking cigarettes, actions which could have already potentially harmed it. I want my child, when I decide to have one, to be given every opportunity possible and be wanted and loved by TWO parents.
Do what's right for you in your heart. Don't do this if you think you can't handle flushing your embryo away.
I'm sorry that it had to be this way, but I'm not about to bring a child into the world who's going to suffer just because its father was too lazy to look for a condom and I was too stupid and irresponsible to remember that I was smack-dab in the middle of my cycle.
**BY the way: I forgot to mention anything about the first pill, mifepristone. This pill didn't really affect me at all. I took it about ten minutes before leaving the clinic (fee;ing relief flood me as soon as the pill brushed my tongue) and it really seemed to have no effect on me until the next morning, when I grew nauseous and vomited a small amount of foamy white stuff (?). I didn't have any food in my stomach so I guess that's what had to come up. I felt much better after I threw up, though, and was able to continue my day quite normally until 3pm, when I took the second round of pills.
my story
As soon as I found out I was pregnant I made an appointment to get an abortion. Two days later I went to the clinic and took the first pill. The first pill did not make me sick however the next day I did have light bleeding. The next day I was instructed to take the next two pills to complete the process. After reading all these stories online I was extremely scared. I took the second two pills at 5 pm. I took tyenol with codene along with it so the medicine would kick in as soon as possible. I experianced very intense cramps that came in waves. Had small blood clots and then around 7 30 pm while sitting on the tolite I passed the fetus. I was only four weeks along so it was very small but it was not that hard to identify considering I did not have heavy bleeding. The cramps continued till about 1 pm. Now I just have a medium- flow period. I prepared myself for the worst but it honestly was not that bad at all. I had no nausea, my cramps lasted about two hours, well the worst of them, and I did not bleed heavily. Please don't let people scare you. I feel like a lot of these stories are made up by anti- abortion activists. If you feel like this is the right decision for you the abortion pill is a great way to go. I believe that a baby should not be brought into this world unless it is wanted. I hope my story helps future women who are debating/or are worried about taking the abortion pill. It is more psycological then physical pain wise.
All babies are wanted, maybe
All babies are wanted, maybe not by the one giving birth to the baby, but they are all wanted. There is something called "Adoption"!!
I'm not attacking you in any way, I'm just commenting on what you said, "I believe that a baby should not be brought into this world unless it is wanted."
That's all.
3 weeks pregnant, can it work?
Am 3 weeks pregnant now and am thinking of the abortion pill. The father of the baby does not want anything to do with me since i told him i was pregnant. am jobless also and got no help on how to raise a child. Anyway i want pop in that pill like as soon as possible. The problem is that living in kenya, i have no idea where to get those pills since its illegal here and most abortions done here are very dangerous all done by not well leraned proffesionals.am to do my research and once i get the pills and get this embryo growing inside me, will flash it, immediatelty.
IF ONLY BABY'S FATHER WOULD TAKE HIS RESPONSIBILITY, WOULD NEVER WALK THIS ROAD. WE AV BROKEN UP AND GOT TO DO THIS ON MY OWN.
concerned 3rd world
Hello everyone. I live in a country where abortions are
Illegal. I read now that there are other people in
Countries like mine. An ulternative to the abortion pill is
Medication (pills) used for stomach ulcers. U drink one and viginall insert the other 4
I would advice anyone to first do their research and if possible ask for medical advice from a health worker
Its not fair that our governments won't legalize it, forcing us into situations
Where we are not ready, AND in most cases pregnancies are not planned for.
I advice the stomach ulcer medication, which is safer if taken correctly, than some of ther methods used here.
Its really really sad at the number of lifes lost due to back door abortions, and some of the these girls drink!!
Goodluck 3rd worl people. NB research. And there are websites
To help countries like ours.NB u must be 9weeks or less
3 weeks pregnant; it worked.
hey once again. After my research as i had said i will do, i got a doctor from marie stopes in kangemi, kenya(for the sake of those living in kenya)his consultant fee is 100 kshs and abortion pills are range from 6000Kshs to 15k depending on how you agree with him.
Well here is my story;
I got injected from my behind plus swallowed 4 pills.to be honest i dont know which was misoprostol or mife... coz doctor mentioned all but my mind was away since was scared to death. Any way after taking the pills i went back home and continued with my daily errands for 6 hrs, plus i took lunch after 2 hours of swallowing medicine;
my diary goes as;
swalloed pills at 1pm
Ate lunch at 3pm
diarrhoed badly and cramping badly at 4pm
no blood seen so far..
vomited and still cramping like hell even though given painkillers, those things didnt work on me 7.30pm
sac of blood came out (ps; pads wont help here the moment you see pit of blood go sit on the toilet then it will come out restfully;be warned the sac came out 4 times each after 10-20mins at around, it wasnt painfull but very messy, my whole white toilet was red.
After the 4 sacs coming out, pain was over and bleeding was very light.
by 10pm was okey and slept like a babie.
that was wednesday.
on thursday, friday and saturday. had no cramps or any pain and blood was coming out lightly like dots. no need for a pad just a panty liner worked.
then sunday today, i ate chocolate at 2pm and by 3pm i started bleeding heavily all oversuddden, i dt know if its chocolate and its sugar or what... am bleeding heavily to a point of filling a pad within 2hours. am thinking something aint okey....
taking some painkillers to ease the cramps which by the way are back..
Am just hoping things will get back to normal
just few tips; please dont do this on public make sure you r somewhere private and access toilet easily and where you can take long hours in there without distracting others. after the big sac of blood are out and regained your normal life, try to eat blood foods as much as you can eg liver, spinanch etc.avoid sugary things (i think) or else cramps become more harsh. take a bath after the big sacs are out, coz they can be smelly.pads or pampers; pampers myt work if heavy flow experienced or have many pads to keep changing after every hour.
Last TIP LET THIS BE THE FIRST (OR WHATEVER NO.) AND THE LAST TIME TO DO THIS.
lets see what happens
Please let me have the
Please let me have the contact details or location of the doctor in kangemi. I just found out I am 8 weeks pg.
I got pregnant my third year
I got pregnant my third year of college (despite the fact I thought I was being responsible with birth control, I took a different medication that managed to undue my contraceptive) and had a medical abortion that I kept a secret from my devoutly religious parents. In fact they still don't know, it would break their hearts. It's been years now, almost a decade, and I barely ever think of it anymore. It almost seems like a memory from someone else's life. When I do think of it it's not in terms of what I went through , but rather I feel for all the girls who are in the throws of their own decision. In a lot of ways having an abortion forced me into adulthood, I had to learn accountability very quickly, I had to bare the weight of my actions. The experience made me avidly pro-choice, and I quickly became very angry with anyone who called themselves "christian" but who were unwilling to show compassion to girls who so desperately needed it.
I began working with young girls who'd had abortions -- many of whom were in foster care from a young age, got pregnant as teenagers, and realized they didn't have the emotional skills to be a parent. They were just kids themselves and they were trying to cope with some very serious adult issues. I still think that the logic of the abortion and the pull of maternal instinct to keep the baby was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with -- how on earth do you deal with it when you're only 16?
While I strongly support any woman's decision to become a single mother, I think it is a gross simplification and down-right disrespectful to say that a woman who does chose an abortion is somehow less moral. Abortion is a difficult decision with on-going emotional side effects that result in complicated internal conflicts about femininity, maternal instinct, self identify, and (depending on the nature of the relationship with the would-be father) abortion tends to raise a lot of new concerns regarding sex and self esteem. No doubt a pro-choice person would then tell you having the baby will resolve all of this. I think that is like living in "la-la land". Having a baby doesn't make anything better (having a child just creates a different set of concerns, not an easier set). Going through such a myriad of extreme emotions should be met with compassion, not with judgment. It doesn't matter if you personally agree with abortion; if you're half the humanitarian you claim to be you will respect the difficulty, the heartbreak, and the grief that comes along with this choice. There is no such thing as an "easy way out". Once you're pregnant, it's going to be hard no matter what you choose. This is not an act of convince, it's an act of desperation. It's a last resort. And it's blatantly wrong to make insulting implications to the young women who have to face this hardship. If you're Christian how about you practice a little bit of that unconditional love? These young girls could really use it.
Update
I Did the abortion pill and you can find my experience under my name!!! Although my doctor said everything was back to normal I have not yet received my period and my stomach is still growing!! I have family members asking me am I pregnant!!! This is the worse experience!!! I didn't have sex yet and I did everything as instructed!!! If I am still pregnant I am going to find myself a lawyer because this is wrong and something has to be done!!!!
MY EXPERIENCE
Hello all,d abortion pill as it is called is nt quit easy as u may think .. is more jst 4x period pains n is too smelly !!!!!! ewiiiiiii ... u can have it but u ve to stand d pains ... it was quit bearable for me n it was more like a period pain thou it was painful but nt as i tot it was going to be ... but plz abortion is a sin so plz stp !!!!!!!u r killing d future president of ur country lol
if youve had an abortion you
if youve had an abortion you shouldnt say that its a sin for other people to do it!! its a hard enough decision without comments like that.
Hi, I took mifepristone on
Hi,
I took mifepristone on saturday afternoon & mifepristol yesterday (sunday) at 1245 pm. my bleeding started at around 4 pm. it was not so heavy. when i changed my apd in the night, in the morning I checked & i didn't bleed at all.
I just want to be sure that abortion is done. as I consulted my doctor then she advised that it will happen.. it might take some time.
since morning i am feeling pukish... can you tell me that I am not pregnanat now.
i took mifepristol!!!!!
hi, i was the same thing, they told me that i will bleed heavily and have a cramps. but i dont really bleed that much and i dont have that painful cramps. im just curious, what happened? did the pills works? coz i am worried that this is not working since i dont bleed that much. pls help me! tell me what to do?
WTF?! is this normal?
i took these pills on september 3, 2010 and today is october 15, 2010... the doctor said the bleeding would only last up to 2 weeks. its been 6 weeks and im STiLL bleeding, HEAViLY and there are still some little clots and i have really bad abdominal pain and back ache.. is this normal? i just want the bleeding to stop but it seems like its NEVER going to go away. its not even slowing down... :( HELLLPPPP please.
Reply to WTF?! Is this NORMAL?!
Six weeks of bleeding! That's a long time. I don't know, after reading so many of these comments -- what is "normal"?? It's not within the "normal" expectation guidelines of any of the printed literature or verbal discussions I had from the clinic when I took my pills (Sept 13th, and 15th). I know I've not stopped bleeding since. The actual abortion of the fetus itself wasn't all that painful with the pain killers - though mine was intact. ***WARNING - Next bit may be graphic, not meant to offend, but skip to next paragraph if you're not prepared!*** Yes, intact fetus - a perfect little developed 8wk old fetus lying there in the pad. It was...truly amazing. But, I wasn't prepared for that at all. It was quite a shock. If I didn't have a pure, cold, scientific curiosity for things, that would have been VERY traumatic!!
But about the bleeding -- that lightened up after week to until I was just spotting, and I felt great - back to my old self; until just last Thursday - which would correspond nicely to a "normal" menstrual cycle. Though this feels a LOT heavier and more crampy and back-achy and much, much more tired than my usual cycles have ever made me. I'm guessing it's a side effect, and hoping that it will let up soon, and that my next cycle will not be so bad.
***STRONG SUGGESTION*** (for myself too) !!!LADIES!!! We need to report these experiences to our clinic or doctors. These experiences are significantly different than any published medical literature about the side effects of this medication. The information being handed out to others faced with this decision is inaccurate, misleading and can (obviously) leave us in a very worried and stressed state wondering if what is happening with our bodies is "normal" -- as if the stress of having to make this decision wasn't already difficult enough!
We have to communicate this to medical professionals, or they will never know. The pharmaceutical companies sure won't tell them! Don't let our (horrible to not-so-bad) experiences be wasted. This is a rather new drug, and the FDA approves things with very little long term data to support any claim. WE are the true guinea pigs! Let's not let our suffering be in vain!
:)
Good luck ladies.