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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
No Bleeding or Cramps?
I took the first pill orally at the clinic and that night before bed I inserted the 4 pills vaginally as instructed and took an Ibuprofen. It is now mid afternoon the next day and I still haven't had any cramps, and I'm lightly spotting but no real amounts of blood. Does this mean its not working? Anyone else experience this?
did pills bleed 2 days and
did pills bleed 2 days and then stopped, they did not work
hi...my period didnt come
hi...my period didnt come and i think im pregnant..where can i buy this pill? please help
Hi sweety, you cannot buy
Hi sweety, you cannot buy the pill at the pharmacy. You have to go to a clinic or a planned parenthood to get an ultra sound, then they will determine how far u are. If you are up to 5 weeks and not more than 9 weeks they will actually give you the first pill and give you the 4 other pills that you need to insert after 6 to 72 hours at home. Dont wait too long you should go now before its too late for this option.
Good luck
help me plz
hi am 36 years old and am pregnant for 6 weeks.today i had abortion pills. i want to kno that wt should i have to care after abortion. can i go for gym? can i go for walk? i have listen that after this type of abortin ladies can put on her weight? am so worried plz help me
Hi Help Plz
I am not sure how your pregnancy has resolved itself. There are many women and families who are not able to have children, and would love to adopt an infant. I happen to be one of them.
please think harder than you thought
im 22 and found out i was 6 weeks pregnant i thought my life was over, now that i ended the lil one beating within me, it is.i thought by taking that pill i would go back to normal those questions of how could i, why did i ? now i got my freedom back, dont i? i didnt want my body to change, didnt want to grow up, i would do anything to go back change what i did, and its too late.i dont want to get out of bed, dont want to go back to college,quit my job.want to fill the hole i scraped into my soul,look in the mirror dont like what i see, they were right, im not really religious but they warned me, all the signs from above, i ignored.they take your money say it will be over,but they dont explain how,i have to take the rest of the pills fulfill what i have begun, i know it will hurt and it should.now suddenly going to the beach hanging with friends seems so empty, empty like me and my shallow desires,i want to put my make up on, do my hair, feel pretty again and cant,its all gone, just like the morals i was raised with. the daddy wasnt ready, nor was i , so i thought and im not, not ready to live with this regret.its hard to look at the one who helped me create this lil life and convinced me to end it. it was my ultimate choice and like usual i ignored the little voice in me that said run, run as fast as you can, get the fuck away from these people,is the clinic here now that i want to abort my own life? so where do i go now? it hurts so unbelievably bad.i want to love him but how can i when i can hardly stand myself?i look in the mirror and all i see is this broken woman looking back at me. please god if you are really there forgive me so i can forgive myself, take that soul and hold it, love it the way i should have been able too.please ladies dont do it.please. you can get your body back after the baby comes, you will find yourself in a new way,im sure that baby would have been the best thing i would have ever known,and for anyone that has had the courage to go to term you know that the first time you looked in your childs eyes , you thanked the man beside you for giving you the best gift in the world,the kind that money cant buy. that was my first pregnancy and my last.
Healing After Abortion, God is Merciful
Thank you for sharing your testimony. I was moved to tears by reading your story. Atleast you are you dealing with your pain and your grief.
It will help!!! Here you can see how others have found healing after abortion. As you know, before one heals, we need to recognize what we have done. In life, I have found it is hardest to forgive ourselves for big mistakes, don't you? Thank you for sharing you story so that others can avoid the mistake of abortion. You should be proud for speaking out. I think you will be a great voice to speak out on behalf of the unborn, and their moms in the future.... that is after you have had healing :) Remember that God really, truly is a forgiving, merciful, loving father who only wants the best for you. You are loved - and if something inside of you is telling you that you are not forgivable, lovable well THAT IS NOT GOD!!!
Thinking of you!
Jennifer M.
i feel the same. i think
i feel the same. i think about it so much and time has not helped. it's been six months. i don't know why i wanted to respond to your posting, just i feel the same. it's hard to look in the mirror. i will continue to go through the motions in life, but i feel sad, i miss my baby and can't ever fix what i've done.
Go to counselling. There are
Go to counselling. There are places that offer free counselling to women who have had abortion. Hang in there. You cannot undo what is done, you have to make peace with it. You made the best decision you could have made at the time with what you knew. Feeling guilty will not solve anything but making a conscious decision to live better, be nicer to others and take your time yo make decisions will be a positive that comes out of this. Read self help books on ho ponoopono
I terminated on Saturday.
I terminated on Saturday. Feel hollow, alone and regret it so much. I miss my baby growing inside of me.
wondering
i myself found out i was pregnant, i was very shocked as i had took the morning after pill, i already have 3 children two who are autistic at 7 and 5 yrs one of these also has a bone disease, then i also have a little one at 3yrs old...discovering i was pregnant again was a very big big shock, i told the father of this baby who i had been with for 5mths, and he told me there was no way he would be with me as he was married...another big shock to the system...i know myself i could not continue with this pregnancy...i dont have any family about me or mother or dad...imtotally alone already with the three kids i have got, and its not easy to cope with these..there was just no way i could cope with another one i couldnt give it what it needed and i knew this...i myself decided to have the abortion which isnt a easy option for any woman having to consider it...so please if you have not gone through this dont judge anyone else..it took me over two weeks to get a appointment to get to take this pill...very slow in this city i live in at the uk, i went to the clinic this morning wednesday...and took the first tablet...i now have to go back friday morning and stay in the hospital untill the pregnancy has passed..you dont get to do it at home in the uk..it has to be hospital controled....imust say now after reading some of these stories it sounds frightening to death..im also scared im going to bleed to death..and unable to cope with the pain..even though im not expecting it to be a easy pain at all....ive already misscarried yrs ago at 12 wks so i kno whats coming...and not only that who will help me with my kids when i have to go home again.......its not easy, i just hope that what people here say is true..and that everywomans experience is different..i willkeep you posted take care xx
13 weeks pregnant. can i still hv medical abortion?
I live in a country where abortion is illegal so wt i plan to do is to take the abortion pills w/c i bought online. when the bleeding starts i can be admitted by an OB and say im having a miscarriage. What do u think?
abortion pill
I found out i was pregnant a little over a week ago, i knew there was another form of abortion besides the suction procedure which was the pill so i decided to take it eventhough it cost $100 more than the other which was $350 at the clinic i went to here in California. So when i took the first pill at the clinic, i felt fine the whole day and was able to go to work and carry out my normal day. The next day i felt a bit nauscious, had a lil headache but wasnt that bad. When it came time for me to take the other two pills to really start the process ,i didnt bleed until maybe 4 or 5 hours after and slight cramping like my period and i passed about five or six bloodcloths. For the next couple of days i bled lightly with little cramping. Now its been exactly a week since i took the pills, this morning i thought i was going to die! I woke up around five with the worst pain ever, i really thought it was gas pain since i wasnt cramping badly throughout the abortion. The bleeding was at its worst, i went through 4 heavy duty pads in less that an hour, and the cramps brought tears to my eyes and had me stuck on the bathroom floor literally...huge bloodcloths kept pouring out one by one which really scared me since i thought this process was soon to be over since i wasnt bleeding that bad the previous days. I popped ibuprofen tablets like if it was candy just so the cramps would ease which was about two hours ago, a little relief on a scale of 1 to 10 i feel the pain is at an 8. It seems like when the cramps are at its worst thats when the bloodcloths are getting ready to come out. I totally regret taking these pills, i wish i was brave enough at the time to decide to have the other abortion procedure done. I hope to God that when i go back too the doctor next week that everything has came out and the pills have worked, thats the scary thing about it, because there is a small chance that the pills might not be effective, everyones body is different. Just wanted to share my experience so far, hopefully next week i can write another comment saying the pills worked and im back to normal, anyone reading this, please think long and hard before you decide to take these pills. Im no trying to scare anyone, but just sharing my experience so you'll know what's expected.
RESPONSE TO THE LADY 7 /2 weeks pregnant
technically the doctor will tell u, u are not to late...as long as u're under 9 weeks they will perform it for u, but honestly what i've learned is the eariler u are, and how active u are the less it will hurt, let me explain what i mean...well #1...i already have a son so that has alot to do with the different pain levels because your uterus will contract while having this abortion, plus i'm a very active person i workout four times a week which builds my muscles to be able handle the pain alot easier and when i got the abortion done i was only 5 weeks 2 days...the further along u are the more STUFF (fetus and uterus lining has to come out) so the stronger the contractions will be to release it... if u're pain tolertant u might be able to go through with it, i feel like its a great thing if u're looking for privacy and u're able to do other things to get ur mind off the reality of it like watch movies...do laundry...things around the house to occupy ur mind...have blessed week sweetie..let us know ur decision and how it works out....i'll send up a pray for u and every other lady tha makes this decision because its definitley a tough things to cope with
I am 7 1/2 weeks pregnant
Since I am 7 1/2 weeks pregnant, is it a bad idea to take the pills? i have an appointment to take them in 6 days, and by then I will be 8 weeks...is it too late? will it not work?
How far along you are makes ALL the difference
I just wanted to comment on this as a woman who has experienced both extremes with the pills. My first experience with the pills was the most painful and horrifying procedure that I have ever gone though. I was 19 and 8 weeks pregnant and took the pills orally. Even with the heavy pain pills I was given, I was curled up around the toilet, vomiting from the pain for 6 hours. The pain was so intense, I nearly blacked out multiple times. I passed very large clots and eventually passed the fetus. I saw everything. It was absolutely horrifying and heart breaking. I know it sounds disgusting but I actually picked it up and held it for a few minutes. This was years ago and I still cannot get the image out of my head. I am now 23 and last weekend had to make the decision to again go through this procedure. Regardless of the experience I had before, I still could not bring myself to have to surgical procedure done. I was 4 and half weeks pregnant and had a very comfortable experience this time. The cramping was mild like a period and only escalated a little bit about 2 hours into the process. I had heavy bleeding and continue to have light bleeding now, but the clotting was nothing like the first time. I would really only recommend this if you are in your early weeks. Otherwise, the pain and experience is unbearable and something that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
I GUESS SOME WOMENS BODY HANDLE THIS DIFFERENTLY
well i'm the 21 year old with the 19 month old son that wrote right above this...and i toke my set a pills yesterday..and this by far was the BEST decision and easiest process i've ever been in for those who this was absoutley horrible i couldn't possible see why but it definitley went GREAT for me...i would recommend this anyone looking for something thats more private and u're able to flex ur activities... GOD BLESS anyone that has to go through this process lets make this experience a one time deal, please don't make this a habit..I LOVE ALL i'm OUT
So sad.....So many woman have to go through this alone!
I didn't start having sex until I was 18 1/2 years old. I was homeschooled and my parents didn't teach me anything about sex or birth control options, or anything of that nature. I even had a serious boyfriend of 3 years in high school, just an innocent relationship. Then I met my first real love. We started seeing eachother, having sex. Used condoms at first, of course he complained and condoms irritated my skin.....so we stopped. He said he was a professional (sounds silly now) so we started using the pull out method.
On my 19th birthday I went out and had a few sips of an alcoholic beverage.....was throwing up for 4 hours! Next week at work I was sluggish, no energy. Knew something was wrong, went to planned parenthood and found out I was pregnant. Immediately told my bf, he said I must have an abortion. Coming from a Christian home I was against it. So I told my father, looking for support. My own father told me abortion was my only option. When I argued he said he said it was not my decision and if I didn't go willingly he would drag me in by my hair! My dad is crazy (prison guard) and mean.
I never felt so alone in my life.
I decided for abortion pill. At time of ultrasound, baby was 3 1/2 weeks. I saw the baby on the screen. It tore me apart. Sceduled abortion for 3 weeks later (earliest appt). When I took first pill, dr told me to make sure this is what I wanted because there was no turning back. I swallowed the pills without answering.
In the comfort of my own home I shoved the four pills into my vagina. I just laid there. For two hours I had mild bleeding and a little cramping. Then the real pain hit. I was curled into a ball, bleeding profusely passing huge clots of blood. I dragged myself into a tub full of warm water with the help of my little sister, who had no idea what was going on. The tub filled with blood and the pain had me withered up. For me, pain lasted for 2 hours. For those two hours, I felt so miserable and alone.
My baby would have been born Dec 20, 2005. I am full of regret and fear of not having children as many are. I have been on bc ever since, as I don't want this to happen again.
By the grace of God guess what? I am now 23 and 18 weeks pregnant!!!!! I am keeping this one, and have the loving support of my fiancé behind me. I just found out a month ago, we didn't expect because I was on bc! I am so happy. My dad is still not supportive, but I have someone behind me so I don't care.
I just want to let all you ladies know, abortion does not mean you're jaded and won't be able to have kids in the future-there is hope. Stay strong and love yourself.
Just took first pill, waiting for suposotories tonight
I just got the Mifepristone yesterday, and I am going to be doing the Misoprostol this evening. I am so nervous to take it, due to the pain. I was perscribed Naproxen, but I am worried it will not be strong enough. I have one vicodin left from oral surgery, I was wondering if it is OK to take vicodin with the Misoprostol. Someone please respond ASAP i am so nervous =(
I'M READY FOR WHATS COMING
I took my first pill yesterday 4-3-09...and will be taking my 2nd once i get off from work... i'm a 21 year old single mother to a 19 month old...i went full-term and had him vaginaly and he was 8 pounds 14 oz. everyone says that that definitley makes a difference... i believe outta being young and naive i felt like it would not be THAT easy to get pregnant so quick, but what i've learned is that after you have your first child....your fertility goes up a guy can look at u and u end up pregnant) LOL...well this is my situation. Being so young and already being a single mother and on my own, i have to work full-time and i go to school also, there is no way possible i could take on a hyper toddler and infant by myself, the father of the baby i'm pregnant with now (whos just a friend) delared that with his three children and child support payments there is no way he could help me with this baby. One thing i wish i would have thought in depth about, is LADIES we have TAKE care of SELF...if we don't wanna get pregnant husband or not..boyfriend or not...ladies IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A CONDOM or YOU"RE NOT ON BIRTH CONTROL...NO LOVE...because what we don't want to happen is making this ABORTION something that just keeps coming up...LETS PROTECT US, and LADIES lets look out for eachother... cause these men won't (except a few)... and u see we end up being the ones on the table for surgucial abortion....or on the bathroom floor for medical abortion..I LOVE ALL U LADIES...time to start LOVING AND TAKING care of US...please ladies pray for me and my experience later on today as i take this task on BY myself...PLEASE COMMENT by the way i'm 5 weeks & 3 days...incase you're wondering how far along i am..PEACE OUT
Please rethink
If you are considering an abortion I would strongly suggest you rethink. I am not one of those "pro-lifers" or anything. But i can say from experience that you will regret it. I had a medical abortion a few months ago and going into it i would have never thought that i would hurt as bad as i do now. Everyday is a struggle for me. I wanted to keep my baby and i know people say that ultimately it was my choice but really it wasnt. For me it was either get an abortion or my boyfriend was going to push me down the stairs which would have been unhealthy for me and my baby. I wish I would have known before i went through with it that I would feel this way. The intense pain i feel for the loss of my baby is almost too much to take. You may think that it will make things better but i can guarantee it only makes things worse.
shit happends.
I had a surgical abortion on feb 19, and i just found out yesterday, that im pregnant AGAIN. theres absolutely no way i can care for a child at this time in my life, and i have no support from my family whatsoever. I felt bad enough after getting the last one done, and you can only imagine my complete shock when i found out that im pregant again, only a month later. It almost feels like i went though all the pain from the last procedure for nothing. i feel irresponsible. im so upset that i have to go through this all over again. There is no way i will get a surgical procedure done again, i was in intense pain the last time, i didnt deal with it so well. from what im reading, it sounds like the abortion pill isnt too much better pain wise. what can you really expect though...its an abortion, if it didnt hurt, im sure more people would be getting them done. this just sucks so bad. i wont go back to the same clinic i went to before, im embarrased. i mean really though...a MONTH later?..like jesus. sounds like im going to have to take a few days off from work after i take the 2nd pill...im scared.
DON'T WORRY! READ THIS!
I took the pill about a month and a half ago. When I first found out I was pregnant, I cried my eyes out. I never thought I would be in that type of a situation, I mean, who does? I knew what I had to do and just starting the process made me hurl. I wanted to be done with the issue as soon as possible. I couldn't eat, think, or sleep. I was SO worried! I just wanted to go to my appointment, do what I had to do and come home safe, well, and NOT pregnant. I went to the clinic the next day. I had a surgical abortion in mind. When I got there, a lady asked me if I had ever had another abortion, I told her no. She then asked me how old I was, and I said 18. She then suggested that I take the pill, I really didn't want to because I had read that it was 100% effective and that a surgical abortion was more effective. She finally pursuaded me and I took the first pill there. I felt a lot better even though I had come home pregnant, and I really didn't want that. Regardless, I tried to remain positive. I began to read websites like these, Stories of people that had taken the abortion pill TERRIFIED me! When I read that it felt like an early miscarriage, I began to cry and tremble. It was awful! I remembered when my sister had a miscarriage and how loud she was screaming from the pain. I regreted my choice and wanted to DIE! I didn't sleep that night AT ALL! My boyfriend and sister were the only ones that knew. My sister was terrified for me. The next day, I inserted the pills exactly 24 hours after the first pill. I couldn't wait, I had to get it over with! It was about 12:00 p.m. on a Saturday. I was home alone with my boyfriend and sister. At first, I didn't feel any pain. We just layed down and watched a movie. I then began to feel a little sensetive and had McDonalds, which is definitely my comfort food. I was ready for the worst. I went to the bathroom and sat there for about an hour. I HIGHLY recommend you do that. The cramps are just like a period, some may be a little stronger but more or less. Sitting at the toilet for most of the time will help you a lot so you can pass most of the blood there instead of having to walk around or feel all that in a pad. When I saw the pregancy tissue... I was so ashamed. I was really early but you can see the harm that you've done. I shut out my emotions and flushed as quickly as possible. After spending a little while longer sitting on the toilet, cleaned myself up and put a heavy pad. I watched my favorite movie with my sister and boyfriend to get my mind off of everything and changed my pad often. It's been a little over a month and I just stopped spotting a week ago. I went to my follow up exam a week after the abortion and they told me everything was gone. I was supposed to go again to take a pregnancy test but didn't. I know it's over and will take one at home soon. I never want to go there AGAIN!
IT ISN'T BAD AT ALL!!! DON'T BE SCARED! I WAS TERRIFIED, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT I READ! When it was all over, I said "Wow, it was NOTHING compared to what I thought it would be." I suggest you do it as early as possible! & trust me you will learn your lesson. I could have wated those $600 on something else! Sex totally isn't worth it, EW! & guys think it's so easy. That really got me mad. My boyfriend was all whatever. It's OUR job to protect ourselves. If you're reading this, I hope I comforted you at least a little bit. I know it's hard but if I can do it, so can you! I hope all goes well! I'll be checking this often. Feel free to ask any questions.
questions..
Hi, I am considering the medication abortion. I have always been a pro-life person but it is so different when it happens to you and you feel like there's no other choice. I was hoping to find out some answers. Do you know how soon you can take the medication abortion after you are pregnant? I know it's sooner than you can do a surgical abortion but I was wondering how soon. To me, I feel like the sooner the better. I hate to think of a formed human being in there. It makes me so sad. Right now I'm just a week along and I'd like to get it done and over with. Also, I've been reading a lot of people accounts and am curious what the second pill is like? Some say 4 pills you have to insert into your vagina and some say it's an oral pill. Which is it?? Thank you for your help. I appreciate your response.
question
hey how old were you and what was your weight at the time
Super Scared Early On
Hey everyone, these comments are making me cry as I sit here at work. Almost two weeks ago my bf and I had intercourse and the condom broke. I am super scared this is going to result in a pregnancy which I am not at all prepared for. He and I talked about it and we're just 22 and 23 years old, way too young to care for another individual, while we're both in school. As I am reading these posts I am just brought to tears. I thought the pill would be a good idea for me since I am so afraid of being put to sleep and all that goes with a surgical abortion. I am wondering when I should get to planned parenthood and I have no insurence so I have no idea how ill pay for this. I am so scared, and to top it off the only one who knows what I'd do is my boyfriend and he and the rest of my friends and family are 8 hours away so I'd be doing this on my own.
When will I get my period
I had the medical abortion on January 5, 2009. It was one of the scariest things that I have ever had to do, but the choice was mine. Since we aren't able to have this option in my state I had to drive 4 hours out of state to take care of this. Because of the weather I have been unable to make the trip back for my follow up appointment. I am scheduled to go in on Friday morning. My problem is that the clinic sent me a pregnancy test and it came up negative, then this last weekend, because I have yet to get my period, I took another home test and it came up positive. Now I am very nervous! They told me that it is most likely from my hormones. Can anyone help me to ease my mind?
I need a little help... My
I need a little help... My girlfriend took the pill and we think everything went well... today is her 2nd day after taking the second pill. Shes still bleeding but not as heavy and she still has crapms. Shes a little worry on the symptoms. she has nausea too. Are this common for the fisrts week after taking the second pill?? THanks
I took the pills acouple of
I took the pills acouple of days ago... I recommend to everyone instead of the surgical procedure... I took it at 4 and by 530 I was bleeding heavly and had strong cramps I felt horrible but I already have 1 child he's 4 months old... & labor was painful don't let them full u when they say its as bad as birth... its NOT... it was a lot easier and a lot more painless.... and I only saw big clots of my abortion...
"THE PILL TESTIMONIALS"
Women that have taken the pill please mention how far along you are,and if you have carried a child full term and have had a natural/vagina birth. Or if you have NOT had any children at all.
It may be easier to take the pill if you have had a child in the past.
This is a great website for women that are trying to seek the truth about abortions and are trying to decide what to do.
It has helped me greatly!
Thank you all...
"EARLY" option pill
I would ONLY recommend the pill if you have had a child in the past, carried it full term and had a natural/vagina birth, and only if your pregnancy NOW is very very very early,not a day over 6 weeks.
This is the truth about this pill.Please do the standard termination if you do not met all these requirements.
Giving this pill to women that are 7-8 weeks pregnant or later should be a crime.The pain is so bad you will feel like calling an ambulance,if you are to far along,this method is NOT the easy way out at all!
I took the Abortion pill....
I took the mifeprex in the clinic on3/7/09.The next night i took the misoprostol buccaly{between the cheek and gums}. I started cramping but did not bleed that much at all,only a little spotting.Is this normal.Dou you think the abortion actually worked for me? Please Help me!!!!!!!
Have you called the
Have you called the clinic?
You should be bleeding heavily a couple of hours after taking misoprostol, most likely you would feel the blood clots coming down... and the bleeding shoul be heavy for a couple of hours.
Please contact the clinic
I'll pray for you
-L-
Scared
I just finished reading all of these comments and i am so surprised on how this pill affects every woman so differently. Im 23 yrs old and just found out i was pregnant this past weekend. I am only 2 weeks pregnant so i was thinking that this would be the best way for me. I just cant take care of a baby right now i still want to live my life and im not even with the father. Its just such a bad situation for a baby to be born into. My mom and my sister support my decision and my sister will be with me when i do this maybe this weekend but im just really scared of how my body will react to this. Hopefully its not that bad as some other ones that i have read. Any tips? im scared of doing the surgical abortion. Please let me know what you think.
Everything went well
Here is my story, I hope that it can help some other person that read this... How can I start... Well I've already been to my follow-up appointment and everthing went well. I took the first pill the 13, the set of 4 pills (that were to be dissolved in my mouth) the day later. Maybe 5 hours after the first pill I started to feel a bit nauses, and was unable to sleep cause I felt unconfortable, but no pain at all. The next day I felt more nauseus and threw up a little and also slightly bleed but these are common effects. Around 11 I took the set of 4 pills and about 3 hours later I began to feel cramps, I've read some stories of horrible pain but I didn't experience this (ofcourse I did take some Iboprufen and other nause pill that they gave me). I felt some strong cramps but they came and went, basically just a more than regular pain you get on yout period. Probably half an hour after the cramps I began to bleed, this whole process of bleeding and feeling big clots only lasted around 4 hours. After that I just felt like I had my period but I felt much better, no nausea, no pain. THe next day I felt ok (physically) just a bit unconfortable during the whole week and the bleeding continued. My follow up was the 24 and I was informed everything was fine, by that time I was only bleeding a little still.
I think I expected this whole thing to be extremely painful, and as silly as it may sound I think I wanted it to be painful, because I felt I deserve to suffer (atleast a little). It's been an emotional rollercoaster and as many of the other comments please do not do this ALONE!! My boyfriend was by my side through this whole process and he was my strength. I'm 19 years old working and going to college.. I decided to take the pill beause I'm not ready to be a mother. One day ofcourse I want be a mom, I want to be able to give my kids the whole world if possible that's the reason I'm going to college, so I can provide for my family one day.
So to whoever reads this I wish you the best and I send you all my stregth... If you need any help reply to my comment I'll be more than happy to help.
love
-L-
had ques?
hi...
thanks for ur post, after reading yours i feel little bit better. i still havent took the 4 set of pills yet im just sooooo scared, cnt sleep or eat. i just found out im 5 weeks pregnent and i took my first pill in the clinic. after taking the pill, i cant eat anything because everytime i eat i feel like throwing and i do throw up. i basically cant stand smell of any food and my stomach is so emply and i know im suppose to eat in order to take those strong medicine but i cant eat at all...do you have any advice for me? specially on what to eat??? once again im sooo scread im soo glad you are all done with this...and i pray nobdy to go thro this situation. ohh ya how long did ur period lasted???
thanx
thank you soooo much for posting. everyone had these horriable stories and it made me think i would go thru the same thing. I took my second dose early this morning and am not feeling anyhting but mind cramping. i bled a lil this moring but didnt need a pad. there are a couple of women here that have had the worst experience ever and it scared me a little, but to hear your story gave me hope that this process will go well. again thanx.
I'm glad I could be of some
I'm glad I could be of some help
Did everything go well? Share your story.
-L-
Can't stop thinking about it all..
I just found out that I am pregnant. I would guess about 4 weeks. I live in Milwaukee, WI which is the big city in Wisconsin. We have several Planned Parenthood locations but only one that provides abortion services. There is only one other abortion facility in Milwaukee so my choices were limited. I called to make an appointment at PP and was disgusted when the next available appointment is March 18. By that time I would be 8 weeks and be near the cut-off time of being eligible for the Pill abortion.
I was hoping to get this taken care of ASAP to get on with life. But now I have to wait for a few weeks. I know I'll continue to weigh all my options and the longer it takes to get into the clinic the harder it will be for me to go through it all. I am an extremely sensitive person and I'm having trouble coping with my situation. It breaks my heart that I'm thinking of terminating this pregnancy, especially when a very close friend of mine has been trying for nearly a year to have a child, with no success.
For sure I know that I couldn't do adoption. I would spend the rest of my life wondering about the child, even through an open adoption.
I'm not ready to be a mother. I am 22 years old and I admit it, I am completely selfish. I have never had to worry about someone else and having that all change is terrifying. My boyfriend was recently laid off, I'm still in school paying for it all by myself. I don't have the resources to care for a child. With the state of the economy I can just imagine how difficult it would be for anyone bringing a baby into this world. I also don't think my boyfriend is mature enough to be a father. He is an only child and has been spoiled his entire life. His parents told him that if he ever was to have a child before marriage that they would want nothing to do with him. I'm sure everyone's parents have said this at some point, and eventually let go to support their son or daughter, but they are extremely religious and old-fashioned people. I couldn't bear watching him be separated from his family.
I'm sorry if I seem to be babbling, but this really has been the hardest few days of my life. I've been doing my homework and found this site and I am grateful for everyone's comments on their own experiences with the Medical Pill Abortion. I know that this is a very sensitive topic for everyone, so having a site like this is calming.
If anyone has any words of advice please feel free to comment.
I just finished taking the
I just finished taking the second dose of the abortion pill. The first cramps were painful, but not much worse than a bad period. I bled and had clots, but none that large. The cramps went away after 1-2 hours and I did not experience pain or excessive bleeding. I'm still bleeding now, a little bit more than a heavy period but nothing serious.
I'm afraid that it didn't work properly because I've read all the horror stories on here and think that because mine was relatively easy and pain free, something might not have gone right. I have a check up in a week to make sure and will post with an update. I really hope this was just a case of an "easier" abortion rather than it not working.
For the record 26, 7 weeks, 1st time.
I hope everyone on here is getting the help they need.
Your follow-up:26, 7weeks, 1st time
Can you please post your results after your follow-up. I am interested to see that you did have a positive result, and that all is well.
Thanks.
help please
im 15 years old and about 7 weeks pregnant.. can i use the pill abortion method?
I don't have heavy periods
I don't have heavy periods they typically last three days.. Very light and minimal pain. I'm a smoker and am slightly overweight. Will the procedure be more painful because of these factors?
the abortion pill
i just finished reading everyones comments. i have a question.. about how long does one need to rest after taking the second set of pills which cause the bleeding? I assumed a couple days of bed rest?
I'm no expert of course, but
I'm no expert of course, but I just took mine yesterday and feel fine today. Of course, I didn't go through any of the huge trauma described here. Relatively, mine was easy and painless. Some cramping, etc. Hopefully I'm not the exception. I took another day off from work just to be sure, but could have easily gone in.
I don't know if I'm pregnant
I don't know if I'm pregnant..and I'm really scared I really don't know what to do. I want to take the pill, but I'm scared
morning after pill
If you had sex 3 days ago or less you can take the morning after pill,you can buy it at any pharmacy for around $40.00.
Surgical Procedure is the better choice
I'm certainly not proud of the fact that I've had a few abortions. Each time, I've had the surgical procedure. I did consider taking the abortion pill once, but I am glad that I did not. After reading these comments, I am surprised that anyone would decide to go with the pill. Having an abortion is never easy, and there will always be emotional feelings of regret, sorrow, or even resentment. But why someone would trump these feelings with a bunch of unnecessary bleeding, cramping, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea - I cannot begin to fathom.
If it's privacy you want, find an abortion clinic somewhere in the outskirts away from the 'big city'. I too have had to deal with waiting at abortion clincs for 6-8 hours in a room with complete and utter strangers who are all going through the same thing. NOT PEACHY - I understand! The last place I went to was in the country, very quiet, and I was out of there in less than 2 hours. My BF was even allowed to stay in the room with me (which later struck me as odd). The nurse gave me two lines of morphine - felt like I was in heaven. For the next 2-3 days, I felt some strong cramping, but more like a menstrual period. Nothing resembling child-birth or what the pill-users have experienced.
If you are thinking of having an abortion, choose the clinic, please. It's bad enough to go thru something like this - you shouldn't have to visually witness everything that is expelled from your body.
I NEED HELp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i really am an emotional wrecl i am pregnant and my boyfriend is in jail...long story. i am on a medication called seroquel i do not know how it will affect the baby so that and some other reasons have lead me to think i should take the abortion pill. i really do not want to i am so lost and scared i wanna do what is right but i dont know what to do i could have a deformed baby...please help. thank u.