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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
Abortion V abortion Pill
In my opinion im sorry you all had to go through that but the pill is no different from the real thing. You decide if you are ready to have sex on your own. no one is pressured to do it unless your a gun or nife point or getting raped so if thats the case you can stop reading this. for everyone else when you decided to have sex you know what would become of it if you was not careful. when you have abortion you are killing a life. e murdering another human beings that is apart of you. most women dont realize that they are stronger then 10 men and do a hell of a lot more then what you can do with a sorry excuse of a man. if they cant take on responsabilities they are still little boys and you dont need them. when you have a regular abortion you experience the same thing as the pill. bleeding, cramps, pain, depression its all to be expected. in other words im saying if you not ready to take on responsibilities girls keep you pants zipped and guys keep your sex sticks in your pants. in reality getting any kind of abortion mean your truely not ready and need a little more or a lot more time to grow up.
I did it
I did it. I was 6 weeks and 4 days and I took the first pill 2 days ago. I was scared and panicking about the whole process...but let me tell u, it really wasnt so bad. Really important tips...I took a tylenol 400 right when I inserted the 4...drank plenty of fluids like water tea and Gatorade. Had soup and watched a movie. Practice relaxation and breathing exercises and PRAY. It was vertually a pain free experience. Just sit on the toilet whenever u feel a flow and you'll use a lot less pads. God be with u all. Have faith and courage. Know you're not alone.
I'm sorry, this is a website
I'm sorry, this is a website for people who have experienced, currently experiencing, or researching this medical option. So, you must have gotten confused... Please post your personal, completely off topic, opinions about other peoples lives (that have nothing to do with your own) some other place more appropriate.
very easy
I ordered the pill from women on the web as i live in a country that abortion is illegal .I took the first pill on friday a 11 am and felt fine. the next day at 1030 i look a pain killler percocet and an antibiotic.at 1130 i took the 4 pill between my cheeks when the half an hour was up i looked at my pad and there was a good bit of blood on it. no pain though a period like feeling i was fine .3 hours later i took another 2 tablets between my cheeks i bleed some more and had a feeling to go to the loo where i sat for 15min i felt dizzy though but no pain.I went to bed about 11pm and slept through the night .i heard so many horror stories on here and other places and i was really afraid especially as i was not using a doctor or clinic.I was 4.5 weeks .. there is not much blood so far I'm wondering has it worked ?
hope this goes well
I have also orderd the pill from women on the web,as I also live in a country that abortion is illegal. I hope it doesnt take too long for poastage. I am really positive on doing this and wish it was over, can i ask a silly question...what else can I take for the pain other than percocet,as I dont think this country sells it?
Regarding your ultimate result for this
as my gal frnd took i pill only one that too within 2 hrs but we are afraid is it affected or no . but wat all results u got having tablet same sensation even she got , but i wanted to knw did it really worked it out for u ...?
well a lot more blood today
well a lot more blood today so I'm sure it has but no pain like a heavy period
pregnancy
i had sex with my boy friend but sperm does not comes to my vagina.even though i have 1 mifepristone 200mg contraceptic tablet with in 24 hours.can i prevent the pregnancy.by having mifepristone is any problem became to my body.please tell me please
The pill method
I'm 27 years old and made the choice to use Mifeprestone about 7 weeks ago. I had been told for about 10 years I couldn't have kids and lo and behold, that was inaccurate. I was about 6 weeks along. When it came down to it I put the 4 pills in my cheeks and held them for 30 min. Approximately 5 min after I rinsed my mouth (not so tasty) my cramping started. I went straight to the bathroom and drew up a hot bath as there wasn't much blood yet and the bath did soothe the cramps. About an hour later the bleeding increased as did the cramps. about 4 hours after I took the pills the cramps got bad enough I took a Vicodin and went to sleep. That was the worst of the physical pain. Cramping was controlled with ibuprofen after, maybe about 4-5 days. The worst part for me was my hormones re-balancing after. It took 4-5 weeks or so. I though I was losing my damn mind. Random crying fits, random insomnia, random bouts of anorexia, nightmares of people torturing kittens (i know, wtf??), and my boyfriend and I couldn't stand to be around each other. Well I finally made it through and I feel pretty normal again. I'm still bleeding and I do have to take some extra vitamins to help keep my energy up. I don't want anyone to think this method is easy. It was a one time thing for me, I'll be having Mirena "installed" this week. It was difficult, it did hurt, but if you have to make the choice, I feel like this method is more private than the surgical method. I also want to reiterate what my doc strongly suggested. LOTS of fluids. Water, fruit juices, hot or cold teas, ginger ale, whatever you need to keep sipping. I had all of them on hand and changed it up every couple of hours. I also primarily ate soups (its easiest to get down anyway). I strongly believe that the better you treat yourself through this, the more smoothly it will go. Best of luck to anyone who is going/will go through this. I hope this reply puts things into a better perspective.
did the abortion pill
I went and seen a doctor yesturday and when you do the medical abortion meaning "pill form" they actually give you a shot in the back then 4 days later which it will be sunday for me i insert 4 pills into the vagina then 24hrs after that i insert the last 4. after that processure it will cause pain but every person is different! the injection that i had, had know effects it just stop the cells. I truly hope this helps some of you that are plaining on gettin this done good luck!
abortion pill
I'm about to go and have the pill tomorrow. I'm extremely afraid because i heard the pain is unbearable...is there anything i can take to help with the pain? I can't believe I'm about to do this!!!
My medical abortion story
This is real. I was 8 weeks and 3 days having twins. The doctor gave me mife prex at the clinic. I was fine. Until I took misoprostol I took orally. As I swallow the remains of the 4 pills I instantly started having severe cramps and bleeding heavily after the the 2 lemon sized passed I felt 60% better I took tylenol with codiene and felt 80% better I finally got some sleep the next.day im just bleeding and no cramping. Also I did vomit after taking/swallowing misoprostol which worried me until.i seen my pregnancy in the toliet which is.the most saddest thing to observe.
How long after you swallowed
How long after you swallowed it did you vomit? Within' 1 hour or sooner? & how long after did you pass the lemons?
Scared! Is it worth it?
Just found out I'm pregnent(a matter of less than 6wks), I am in a really sticky situation right now -I hate abortion and I just feel weak at the thought but it seems it's the only option I have. I 'm in Varsity and not ready to have a baby and I think mum would die if she heard I am pregnent but I'm not sure wheather it would be hearing I've had an abortion that would be worse. I don't know how I'll be able to live with myself knowing I've done it. Is it worth it?
talk it throught with your
talk it throught with your mom, because once you have an obortion its done there's nothing to bring it back. There's always couples who cant have children, start thinking of adopting. Don't make any rash decision this IS a life we are talking about. Your in my prayers i hope you make a decision you can live with for the rest of your life.
Im 18 and just found that im
Im 18 and just found that im about 4 weeks pregnant. My boyfreind really wants it and is so excited and i am the oposite i dnt want it i want a career and still want to party etc please help i want to take this pill but i dnt want to lose my life or my boyfreind!! :(
I WISH I KEPT THE BABY
hi everyone,after reading your story thought i'd share mine.. im 17 and i have never get pregnant before but guess that was about to change for me.last month i slept with a friend and after that i went to have a shower and i found that there was semen all over my private area.. so i started to feel scared because i always protect myself to avoid pregnancy. my friends advised me to drink a natural plant that prevents you from getting pregnant if a guy had cum in you.. i drink 3-4 cups i thoght the more i drink it the more safe it will be for me. it all started when i didnt get my period.i ask the guy are you sure you used protection because where we were it was dark.he said yes.i missed my period so i decided to buy a pregnancy test and it turned positive. when i told the guy he told me there is no way the baby was his because he used protection..i told him about the semen incident and he said he check the condom after that and it wasnt broken ~~ im guessing he was lying about that part,no?~~ so then mum took me to have an ultrasound test and the doctor told me i was four weeks pregnant i ran out from there all the wayuntil home..believe me it was a long run with tears in my eyes. i wanted to keep the baby but my parent told me they wont accept it. i was depressed thinking that i was alone in this.. the next day i saw a nice lil shoes and i bought it.. but mum already bought the pills from a woman she didnt even know. i keep asking the guy to have a blood test he refuse and told me not to talk to him again.. i then inserted 3 pills and now im still bleeding.. im just scared i might get complications.. and im so depress ill never know how it would feel to hold he/she lil hands... please guys dont do this please keep your child its depressing trust me.i wish i have kept it though i would have to quit school. please give me some advice based on my situation..thanks
I am almost 21 weeks and i
I am almost 21 weeks and i had tried the pills at 9 weeks and they didn't work is there something else i can do before having to have this procedure next week. i have 3 children and just left a bad drug addict/abuser, then i find out a week after i was prgnant. I just can't have another child in my situation and i honestly have nobody to bring me home as they require from the procedure.
Keep your baby don't have the
Keep your baby don't have the abortion you are half way through and it is far too late it will haunt you forever and I speak from experience,either you will decide to keep your baby when you have it or you can go the adoption route so that it can go to a loving family,nobody can envision the guilt and trauma such a late abortion will have on you,take care x
My Opinion on the Abortion Pill
The differences of opinion of course would be related to whether or not you are pro-life. Abortions are easily obtained anyway so this just makes the procedure even easier. It's non-invasive so it would naturally be easier and more desirable.
gdmng
hi, am a 22yr old graduate who isnt ready for child bearing of whch i am less than 5weeks pregnant, please could you advice on how best to go about terminating it.
I am hoping to go through this process of medical abortion, but need to know if the terifyng comments are for real. Please i need your advice asap. Tnks.
Hello I have taken the pill
Hello I have taken the pill and the cramping can get a bit bad and after taking the second medication I ended calling earl some but it was'nt that bad to me I had my medical abortion friday today is monday I feel just fine.
Keep your baby
I was 20 when I decided to have an abortion, I didn't want to take responsabilities of having a baby and I was feeling afraid to tell my parents because they will stop given my education at University. I saw my friends did it and it wasn't a big deal so I did it.
Now over 38 years old trying to get pregnant for many years and now doctors are removing my uterus. Yesterday, I had a biopsy done previous to remove my uterus because I have severe bleeding during my period(fibroids). Doctor recomend to keep my ovaries but she want to make sure there is no cancer involve so I can keep my ovaries. I went through hell when I took misoprostol vaginal 400mg 2 tabs 4 hrs prior to biopsy, 3 hours later. I felt likely having a baby (from women experience)so much pain on my lower back, I couldn't find any position to relief the pain, I have severe uterine cramping and felt like I want to push (uterine contraction) and close to pass out due to pain,when the doctor did the procedure the pain was worse,I was screaming and crying of pain. Doctor did order some tylenol #3 but only help for 2hours and the pain was coming again. I think misoprostol is not the drug of choice some women got a bad adverse reaction. I never thought that I would have that reaction.
Anyway. Keep your baby there is many places for adoption, even myself I looking to adopt a baby. My husband a I both want to have a baby so badly,we both have a good job. There is always consecuences for making bad choices. I can help you if you want to give your baby for adoption or to keep it, A child is always a bless!!!. good luck to you,God bless you!
Maria
I was ok after i left the
I was ok after i left the docs office then the next day when i was to take the 4 pills togather in my gum for 30mins got me scared so i left school went home and took it first hour was no biggi but the second hour i thought i was giving birth i was in sooo much pain god knows how i only felt.. It was the worst feeling of my lifee.. I thought i was dying. . So halfen hour in to the pain a lime size blood clot comes out and then my pain goes away and i feel better and i eat. . And right after i ate i vomitted oit everything and the pain from hell came backk. It was like contractions. I was trying many position to see which felt better standing sitting laying kneeling and all.. Finally after another hour another two huge blood clot came out. . They were huge. . I mean hugeeeeeee.. Now i have hand warmers on my syomic and i m laying in bed. . Took 3 tylanol with codine. 4 Iduprofin and now feel so much better. .Dont know what to expect in an hoir or two.
5 weeks 2 days pregnant
2 days before I realised that I was pregnant by the use of a strip I was 5 weeks 2 days pregnant I was given the 1st pill and started bleeding from the next day the next day I was given mifepristone but he bleeding was not that heavy am I still pregnant do I need to undergo surgical abortion
Taking the Pill...My Experience
After reading the stories of the other woman I felt a little at ease to know that there was someone out there going through what I had went through in life. I do think a few stories might have been a little exaggerated.
My first experience with the pill was not the best. I was 18, and all alone. I had to go through this event alone cause I too had a douche bag as a boyfriend.
I took the one pill at the planned parent hood office. I cant recall how far along I was, it was years ago.
A girlfriend of mine had told me about the abortion pill...I thought it was weird...but after getting pregnant a year later I had underwent my own experience.
I waited about 48 hours to take the 4 pills. I had went on a ride with some friends after taking the first pill in the doctor's office. Why I went? I dont know...being young and dumb.
Finally, after being at home in the privacy of my bedroom I took the four pills. There was a full house of people, but I couldnt tell them anything! I had already had a little girl who was 2 years old at the time. My family would have killed me worse than those 4 pills.
I had horrible cramping and bleeding for weeks. I had complications. After calling the planned parent hood, the doctor advised me to go to emergency. After doing so, the doctor told me I had an infection. I was treated with antibiotics and sent on my way. DUE TO MY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE PILL...I WENT IN FOR A SECOND TIME A COUPLE YEARS LATER TO GET THE PILL AGAIN. DUE TO MY COMPLICATIONS THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABORTION PILL AT THIS CLINIC EVER AGAIN!...
I guess they were right, I was a little upset.
After going through alot of stress and depression, I decided to keep my baby...and I gave birth to a healthy baby boy in 2008.
I gave you all the shorter version of the story...just so you can get the picture. THERE IS LIFE AFTER AN ABORTION, YOU CAN STILL HAVE KIDS! I HAVE HAD THE ABORTION PILL AND STILL WAS ABLE TO CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY BABY BOY, EVEN AFTER HAVING COMPLICATIONS WITH THE PILL.
Me honestly, I feel that the pill is way more convienient that the surgical abortion. You dont have to be put to sleep, you dont have to have a vacuum stuck up your vagina sucking away the baby and lord knows what else...This pill form is a safe way to end a pregnancy while still keeping your vagina in tact. I think. I mean after so many surgical abortions...what do you think your vagina is going to feel like? Even to your partner?
The pill to me is just like having a miscarriage. MISCARRIAGES ARE PAINFUL!!!!
Anyways...my point to all the women out there who are scared and wonder if you still can concieve and give birth to healthy babies...you can. Abortion is not an easy decision to make, and it is not a form of contraception. Please be sure of your choice, and live with it. Dont beat yourself up about the things that you cant change...work harder to change the things that are in your control.
P.S....
TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDS 30 MIN TO AND HOUR BEFORE TAKING YOUR 4 PILLS...THIS WILL EASE ALOT OF PAIN. YOU WANT YOUR PAIN KILLERS TO BE KICKED IN BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR 4 PILLS SO THAT YOU WONT HAVE TO GO THROUGH SO MUCH PAIN...Take what your body is in tolerance of. If you know that it takes 4 asprins to kill your headache...how many pain killers will you need to ease the pain of this situation?...just a thought.
AND IF YOU ARE HAVING TOO MUCH PAIN AND TOO MUCH BLEEDING THE ODDS ARE YOU HAVE AN INFECTION AND NEED TO GET TO A DOCTOR RIGHT AWAY!
GOD BLESS
Better Experience With Pill
The hardest part of the entire process were the days leading up to taking the pill. I must have read 500 plus comments concerning this issue. Pretty much everything I read was negative. Guess it makes more sense that people want to post about the complications they had rather than the simplicity they may have experienced. After hearing some of the horror stories, I wasn't quite sure if they were true or if they were created by pro-lifers trying to scare women. I promised myself I would update on my experience either way, so here it goes.
FACTS: Ultrasound at clinic showed I was 5ish weeks pregnant. Took the 1 Mifepristone pill last Thursday at 11am. Starting bleeding about 8 hours later (pretty lightly, and few cramps. less than normal period). I continued to bleed for 1-2 days but it was still less that a regular period. Took the 4 Misoprostol on Saturday night 6pm. (vaginally). About 3 hours later I started bleeding a bit more heavily (but close to a normal period). Cramps became more recognizable but still not that bad. I had a few blood clots. I think I passed the sac on sunday evening. I noticed a clear quarter sized ball with blood around it. (not sure how else to describe). For the last 3 days I have still been bleeding but it just seems like a normal period. This was not "physically" hard on my body. And from other people I have talked to, the experience they had was way more similar to mine than most stories posted on here.
appreciate!
thank you anonymous poster- I really appreciate a positive experience in the mix- yours is what is described in most medical descriptions of the pill and very close to what I am expecting... but all these other stories are making me so scared. thanks for the hope.
Abortion Pill
To all the ladies out there considering an abortion, please do so with careful research. There are plenty of resources out there to get some information about the right procedure for you.Not knowing how far along I was when I found out I was pregnant, I unfortunately believed I was pressed for time (pill only for females under 9 weeks pregnant). I scheduled an appointment with planned parenthood within a day of finding out I was pregnant. The abortion pill appeared on the website to be less invasive, done at the convenience of your own home. I feel as if it was marketed as an ideal way to abort, in reality this was far from "cramping and bleeding" abortion. This was pure agonizing hell!!!! I felt like I was dying. Something induced like this from a pill can not be healthy. Planned parenthood also advocates the non-FDA way of administering the pill. I believe that this may potentially have some repercussions in the future. They administer only 1 of the mifeprex and then give you 4 misoprostol to take orally at home after 24-48 hours of taking the first pill. This pill has only been approved by the FDA for 11years. This is yet still very new. What are the effects of future pregnancy for women who have taken this. If I had more time, if Planned Parenthood, was more open with scheduling- I know they are not because they are a non-profit with less funding these day, I would have not rushed my decision and would have opted for a surgical abortion. It's done within 10 mins. Yes, it may be invasive, but it has been around for years and is proven safe and effective. PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME AND RESEARCH WISELY. This product was definitely not for me. My ordeal lasted over the anticipated 8 hours. There was violent vomiting, diarrhea and PAIN PAIN PAIN. I literally thought I was going to pass out from the pain. Good luck ladies. I appreciate that their were services such a Planned parenthood to help me. Thank you.
worth it
I took the pills last week at 6 weeks gestation and i am still bleeding a bit. It wasn't a bad experience and i would do it again in a heartbeat. The only complications was about a half hour after i took both the mifeprex and misoprostol; i became really nauseous and puked. Then about an hour after the misoprostol i had severe cramps even though i took 4 tylenol 3's, and a lot of ibuprofen. Finally after being in agony for maybe 15 minutes or so my boyfriend started massaging my lower back and my hips and the pain went away almost completely. HAVE SOMEONE MESSAGE YOUR BACK IF YOU TAKE MISOPROSTOL and don't be shy on popping your pills the first couple hours I. You need to be strong, confident about your decision, relaxed and accept whats happening to your body.
Dont do it!!!
I took this pill and the cramps were so severe my boyfriend had to call 911 and I went to the hospital, they had to prescribe me stronger pain medication, and lower my blood pressure/heartrate so I wouldnt pass out. I know the doctprs said this would be painful, but I never imaginined thiS. If I could take it all back, I would. I dont reccomend this pill for ANYONE. Terrible experience, I would rather keep the baby than ever doing this again. Its weird bc I am actualy pro life, but I was convimced it wasnt yet a baby. I was too late for plan b, so me and my boyfriend considered it plan c, last resort. I would NEVER get a surgical abortion ever, but please please girls, dont take this pill.
Whatever you do choose surgical
Sad to say but this is my second abortion.. First time I did the surgical and it wasnt bad I didnt even have any pain but the second time I had heard about the pill and how easy it,was so I tried it and wow was I told wrong. It was the worst pain of my life. I bled heavily for three days going thru about a bag of super pads a day till I finally passed out from blood loss and got rushed to the ER. I called the dr and told her about how much I was bleeding and she said it was normal ha. When I got to the ER they told me I almost died and emediatly gave me a blood transfusion. So much trouble and so much money I would never reccomend chemical abortion.
Extremely painful medical termination
i'm 17 years old and found out I was pregnant about 2 weeks ago. i worked out that I was around 4 weeks gone. i immediately thought I would have an abortion, just because i hadn't thought it through or talked to anyone. i am still with my boyfriend (the father of the baby) who also didn't want a child at such a young age. I told my mum straight away who was very supportive and emotionally attached to the whole situation as she went through it when she was 19. she advised me to think about my decision, and that whatever I choose to do, she'll be there for me. My older brother who's 19 was also very supportive, but wanted me to keep the child, as he has a close friend who had a baby when she was 15/16. after a painful week of thinking everything over, me and my partner came to the heartbreaking decision to terminate through medical abortion. We are both in our second year of college and he is going to university next year to study biochemistry. For us, and the unborn child, it was not the right time financially and emotionally. i didn't think the medical abortion would be too bad. the word 'medical' certainly sounded less painful and traumatic than 'surgical' so this was my immediate decision. but god i was so wrong. i took my first pill and felt slightly ill for the rest of the day but no serious side effects. the next day I took the 4 tablets orally, and within 20 minutes a began cramping. it wasn't too bad at first, but by the time I got home I was in absolute agony. I couldn't walk, I was freezing cold, shivering, crying. the pain was so intense. i went upstairs and sat on the toilet with my boyfriend and mum with me. i was shouting out in pain, almost passing out a few times. I was shaking horrifically and after about 10 minutes, I started to pass a little blood. but it felt like my whole insides had just stopped working. I couldn't hold anything in. I was passing urine, feces and blood all at the same time and I couldn't stop it. I had diarrhoea and nausea. i stayed on the toilet for about an hour, passing blood every now and then. the pain subsided a little and I passed a medium sized clot. i then felt I was ok to get into bed. the pain was ok for a while, I think the pain killers had kicked in and a hot water bottle really helped. but after another hour or so the pain returned. i just had to wait for it to pass. i haven't bled much other than when I was on the toilet. I'm currently in bed with my hot water bottle and a cold drink, dreading the pain returning. if i'd have known the pain I would be in I would definitely have had this surgically. it can't have been as traumatic as what i'm currently going through. good luck to anyone going through the same thing. and for anybody decided which to go for, i'd advise to have the termination surgically, I definitely would. the pain for me is just awful. but i've heard some women don't experience painful cramps at all. anyway good luck!
Has anyone had any longterm
Has anyone had any longterm effects after taking this/any other pill? A friend of mine had an abortion atleast 6 months ago now. She has since had horrible bleeding, faintness, nausea and terrible headaches. Her doctor sent her for a brain scan recently which has showed no problems. I can't help but think her being ill now has to be related to this in someway as she has never ever had any medical problems at all.
I just took abortion pills 3 hrs ago..
Right now im sitting here after inserting the 4 pills vaginally and ive passed a few blood clots and had a bit of bleeding...Its definately not as much as I thought it would be...Prior to taking the last 4 pills i took an ibuprofen 1 hr prior for pain med...My cramps are on and off but nothing too harsh...The problem I have the most with the pill is the anticipation...The process is way too much of a hassle. If I had to do it all over again I wouldve did the surgical abortion for sure...day 1 surgery, lasts about 7 mins at the most and you dont feel anything because your unde anesthesia, you bleed like a very heavy bleeding, and the next day u may bleed lightly...you know for sure the pregnancy is gone when you leave the clinic, and u can move on with you life...Well anyway this is my opinion, guess ill deal with the rest of this since i put myself in this situation in the first place...bye
Need advice
Please call me I have a question please you can block your number !!!
abortion pill too painful
I went 2 the doctor on wed sept 20th and took the first pill, I had no pain it , but I took the 4 pills the next day, after swallowing, the pain began twenty minutes later. It was the worst pain of my life, then I kept bleeding, and having blood clots the size of quarters, I did feel nauseated. I try taking ibpruophen 600mg, but that didn't help. The pain stop around midnight, and so did the bleeding, and its now four days later, and the cramps keep coming on and off, the pain is really bad, but not as worse as after taking those 4 pills. I've had the surgical abortion a year ago, & it was only bad the first nite, but the second week was a lot of bleeding, and huge blood clots. I was already anemic but that brought my blood level down. After experiencing both, I hope to not get pregnant again, and hoping that taken birth control will work for me.
abortion pill
I'm 16 years old (very young) and I found out last week on wednesday that I was pregnant. I decided to do the abortion pill because I thought it would be a lot easier than the surgical procedure. 2 days ago I went in for the 1st pill and had no symptoms what so ever. That is until the next morning I wasn't able to go to school since I felt very nauseous. I threw up stomach acid and wasn't able to eat. Then around 3:00 pm I took the 4 other pills by placing them on my top gums. I thought it was so weird having them there for 30 min. The only thing I was worried about was the pain. I knew it was going to hurt but had no idea that it was going to be the most pain I've ever experienced in my life. At first I didn't have any cramps till 30 min later. Then they started coming really strong and non stop. I was in so much pain I just jumped in the shower and laid down with the warm water hitting me. This really helped me even though I was still bleeding in the shower. Another thing that helps is if you get like a soccer sock or any really long sock and put rice in there and heat it up for a minute and put it on your lower abdomen it soothes the pain a little. Around 9ish the pain calmed down and I was able to fall asleep. I do recommend someone knowing and being around just in case something happens. For me I didn't really need anyone but only once for my sister to heat up the rice sock. Overall I would not recommend this way of abortion. It was to painful. Plus I heard it drop into the toilet which made me a lil sad. I think the surgical would of been less pain and less bleeding that's for sure. I wish the best of luck for anyone choosing the pill cause its a very painful thing. I'm still bleeding but not as bad as before and not that bad of cramps either just a few minor ones. Hope my story helps some of you ladies that are stuck in the middle of surgical or the pill. I would of loved to keep the baby but like I said I'm way to young and I have goals that I would love to accomplish.
improve medicine alternative
It is uncommon to find physicians and other modern medical professionals who are knowledgeable in alternative medicine, therefore you may need to find the answers to your questions about alternative treatments through print and online magazines.
my experience
I am 25 and on day 2 of a medical abortion. 6 weeks along. After taking the first pill yesterday, I felt nauseous on and off. This morning at 11am I took the 4 pills orally and after 30 minutes of dissolving in my mouth, I swallowed the rest of it. Not even 15 minutes into the dissolving process was when I started to experience strong cramps...and 5 minutes after I swallowed the rest of the pills, I threw up. The next 5 or 6 hours were pretty bad, I have to be honest. The Tylenol #3 didn't really help with the pain and I could hardly sit still because the craping was so intense. The heating pad helped a little bit though and so did taking a hot shower. After falling asleep around 5pm, I woke up an hour later to no pain! Just mild cramping. It's now around midnight and I'm still bleeding and passing clots but the worst is over. I'm a little nervous though because of throwing up so soon after taking the set of pills but I don't think I would have had such intense cramping and heavy bleeding if the med wasn't working. All in all, I suffered but got through it and still stand by my decision. And as soon as I am able I'll be getting the IUD to prevent having to go through this again.
Aboortion pill Vs surgery
hi.. This is Alexis again... I would never.recommend the pil th to anyone. I just recieve surgery today and I was awake during the enrire 5
To 7.mins... its easier and.faster. You will have no.worries... The pill is not all as it may seen.. U can find muy stories in Sep 2010
my experience
Both I and my friend took the pill. For both of us the pain was worse than expected. I had some percocet from another procedure that I took for this, and I wasn't even worried about the pain because I had it, and let me tell you, no. It hurt a lot. Luckily it only lasted a couple hours.
My friend at the time made a comment about how she thought it was psychological for me that it hurt so much. I did not appreciate that. When 6 months later it was her turn to have one, she went through the same thing I did.
I am a pro choice person to this day because everyone needs to make their own choice, period. And it should not be illegal, that won't solve anything, people will get them illegally.
That being said. I regret it. The only thing I would want to say to anyone is go to forums for people who regret their abortions before you make your final decision.
Thanks and good luck. If you make this decision even though the medication abortion really was more painful than they said it would be, I still would have gone through it by myself at home than in a clinic on a table.
I posted on here a couple
I posted on here a couple weeks ago about my decision to take the pill and I took them this weekend and wanted to share my experience for others that are going through the same thing. I took the first pill on friday and had no side affects at all. I took the 4 pills on saturday night at around 9 pm and let them dissolve in my mouth for 30 mintues before swallowing them. I felt some mild cramping but nothing bad at all. Nothing really happened until about 11 when i started bleeding. It was really light at first and my back started hurting pretty bad but nothing unbearable just really uncomfortable and some small cramps. I didnt have very many clots come out so i didnt really wanna go to sleep because i knew the whole process wasnt over. The pain and nausea medicine made me so tired that i ended up falling asleep anyways. I woke up at about 4am and i had bled everywhere but there was no more pain. My advice is to take your nausea and pain medicine 30 min before taking the pills then take another pain pill when you start feeling the pain because that worked really well for me. I did feel nauseous but i never threw up. The experience really wasnt as bad as i had read from other people but i'm sure its different for each person. I do feel really sad from time to time but I know it was the right decision. Just know that there are emmotional side effects and its not the right decision for everyone.
Hiyaa, I Had The Abortion
Hiyaa, I Had The Abortion Pill Months Ago But I Still Think Im Pregnant I Have Bin On My Period Ever Sins But I Keep Feeling Kicks And I Just Dont Feel My Self At All And When Takeing The Pills I Was Really ill :/ Help xxx
Cramps During Early Pregnancy
I am confused regarding somthing. I am 5 weeks pregnancy. Is it normal to suffer from mild cramps during pregnancy? If yes, then how long will I get cramps? Throughout my pregnancy or will they stop after certain time? Thanks.
ive had 3 kids and with all
ive had 3 kids and with all three of them i had menstral type cramps. My doctor said its everythig iside of you like hips so the baby has room to grow.
good luck
I am having a very hard time
I am having a very hard time making this decision. I am 26 years old and 7 weeks along. I had a surgical abortion when I was 17 and swore I would never do it again. I was with my boyfriend for 10 years (same guy as the first abortion) We were on and off for the last 2 years and I had a new boyfriend of 6 months when I got pregnant this time. Although it was not planned we were not very careful to prevent it either. I thought I could be happy as I am ready to be a mother... now, I believe I was genuinely happy with the new guy before this, but because it was so soon after the breakup, with my long term guy, I don't think I really got over it. Now with the hormones I am severely depressed and can't even look at my new boyfriend (we actually just broke up) He wants to be a dad more than anything and I feel like this is not really my decision to make on my own? I haven't told him I am even considering this option but he did tell me if I ever thought about it just to have the baby and give it to him... but I can't do that... I could never have the baby in the world that I just gave away (I know it sounds messed up but I just couldn't, I would either keep it or terminate it) I keep going back and forth with the decision and don't know what to do? I think this pregnancy has made me realize how much I have always wanted a family with my ex; who loves me and still wants that with me as well. I guess I am scared because I don't know what feelings are real, again because of the hormones: I feel like I would want to be pregnant with (the was ex) him as soon as I could after this so I could be a mom with the right guy.
Let me also mention I had a miscarriage when I was 16 and even though it was 10 years ago I recall the severe pain and bleeding. I am very nervous to take the abortion pill because I remember the pain of my natural miscarriage. However, I also almost feel like I deserve to suffer for terminating a pregnancy again. I am just very scared that it may affect my ability to have children in the future... like God would need to punish me. I want to be a mother so badly I just don't want it like this. Is this a reasonable reason to have an abortion? I am so scared of how I will feel after. Will I resent my boyfriend or the child if I have it?? It is such a hard decision to make...
I don't know if you got the
I don't know if you got the abortion but I really hope not. Its not this child's fault that you got pregnant again, and if the ex really loves you he wont mind sticking with you through this whole ordeal. Please keep this baby, its deserves to be loved by you and its daddy!
Can someone please give me
Can someone please give me some info I'm scared worried just freaking out my appt is for this week please
Am 3mouths porgo and dont
Am 3mouths porgo and dont want to have my bby cuz am not workin and its goin to be be my 2 baby and am only 18 yyers oold and am not wit the bbys dady its hard cuz icould brly hadol one baby on my oen could some hlep me ok f u could call me at