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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
pill
I'm 21 years old and i found out i was pregnant at 5 weeks, I had the shot and pills at 8 weeks. I had the initial shot at the doctor's office and then 5 days later I inserted the pills. The office explained to me what I could and could not eat and also what to expect. I was also given a paper briefing what they had told me. The pain was so unbearable, nothing helped it. The doctor also said that I would just see blood clots, nothing unidentifiable...well he was wrong, very wrong. I woke up in the middle of the night from the pain, got up to change my pad and a so called "clot" dropped out. it was my baby and it was definitely identifiable. It had arms, legs, and you could just make out where the eyes and nose were. It was not my decision, I have no idea why I was so stupid and went with it but now I have to live with it and regret for the rest of my life. My advice is don't think you can just abort your baby and think that everything will be fine and dandy afterwards because it wont be
Uneducated
See.. this is the problem with these controversial forums... Liars like you decide to share your "stories".. your probably some middle aged catholic woman or something, or a VERY screwed up 21 year old. At 8 weeks, the EMBRYO would not be detectable as having "Arms, legs and making out of eyes and nose"... JUST NOT POSSIBLE!! Any website or doctor could tell you this. Grow up and get over yourself!!!! LOL LOL LOL You must really think the people reading these are stupid !! LOL LOL LOL
YOU'RE uneducated
At eight weeks it's completely possible to see the features this girl described. Look it up! I did. I didn't have the same experience because I had my little baby frickin sucked out of me. But let me tell you, the research on how my baby was developing - I was 6 weeks 4 days on the day I aborted, or so the doctor said - is traumatizing enough. All the medical websites & pregnancy websites (and NO I'm not talking about the pro-life websites, I mean the ones that expecting moms go on who actaully want THEIR babies) are saying my little baby would have been developing his arms & legs and brain development was beginning at that stage. The baby IS developing facial features during this time (about 6-7 weeks) and this girl's post says she was even further along at 8 weeks! And who are you to judge?!?
"VERY screwed up 21 y/o"?!? And people like you are the same ones who have the nerve to call people who are pro-life judgemental. And maybe some of them are, but how hypocritical of you to be the worst of the judgmentals! If she IS a screwed up 21 y/o, how much more compassion does she deserve? And let me tell you, those "middle aged catholic women" that you probably spend your time criticizing & ridiculing & stereotyping are the ones who reached out to me and spoke compassionately to me after I aborted. The same people who believe in life and allowing embryos to grow and be born accepted me and had compassion on me even though I did exactly what they're advocating against. They didn't ask me if I regretted it & then chose to accept me only then. They just gave me what I needed - even though who the hell am I. Just some emotional girl who can't accept her own decision.
So who would you say is more qualified to give advice to others? A hypocritical, judgemental, negative, nasty person like you? Or people who, even though you've done exactly what they stand against and don't believe in, would take you in without question and give you the help, encouragement, and compassion YOU need even though the baby is gone and there's nothing for them to save - except maybe your sanity & emotional well-being?
YOU MAY SEE IDENTIFYABLE BABY MY DAUGHTER DID
My 19 year old daughter opted for Medical abortion. She did not realize that she was supposed to fill the perscription for pain meds and take them BEFORE inserting 4 pills. It was extremely painful. Girls this IS induced labor and delivery. She was 8 weeks and 3 days along and when the embreyo came out it was identifyable, so much so that she saved it and gave it to me to bury. I saw it. It did have arms, legs and even finger and toe buds. Maybe this is an easier proceedure if you are not as far along, but I would not recommend it. From the pain, blood, trama of seeing your dead baby, bleeding after, and running a low grade fever for a couple days after...it was all bad news and scared us to death. I would never recommed a medical abortion. If you choose abortion I would recommed surgical. I helped a friend through a surgical abortion and the proceedure and recovery was a cake walk compared to a medical abortion.
night fater pill
i just wat to know how long the pill lasted help
This is not a lie at all, the
This is not a lie at all, the same happened to me. At 8 weeks the FETUS has buds for arms & legs & 2 black dots where the eyes would be. You are not warned of this & it is extremely upsetting...perhaps your the stupid one.
Pay no mind to the liars seeing a formed baby at less than 8 wks
Pay no mind to some of the liars here. I also had this non-medical procedure and I have friends who are doctors. It is absolutely impossible for you to see the legs or arms of a baby less than 8 weeks which is why such abortion can be recommended. The baby hasn't even formed yet. Do they even know the meaning of an embryo or a fetus? They think they can just frighten people into their beliefs. It is humanly and medically impossible to see a baby. It is purely a lie and she isn't being rude, she's being factual. I did this procedure too and I don't find what she said insulting. You liars are the ones insulting our intelligence. I admit it was painful for me like a bad menstrual period. I bled for two weeks but that's all. I saw only a blood lump once and I know people who did it. No one sees a baby. Don't take people here for fools, we are educated.
abortion pill
They are NOT liars They do have arms and leg buds ! Your Doctor friends are not telling the TRUTH ! Someday we will all know the truth ! Good luck on that day !
Keep your nasty attitude to yourself
Anyone can say they have friends who are doctors. I have friends who are hispanic. That doesn't make me an expert on the spanish language! Plus every one is different. Some babies walk at 9 months by themselves. Some take longer and I'm sure there are some that started earlier.
The medical websites SAY that the baby is visible size (the size of a sprinkle on ice cream at only 6 weeks with arms & legs developing and brain function beginning to develop). If she says she saw arms & legs then it's completely possible for 8 weeks when the pregnancy websites say facial features & limbs begin @ 6 weeks.
lol lol lol! you think
lol lol lol! you think abortion is funny do you what the hell do you know you a dr??? nasty comments get lost!
RUDE.
RUDE.
Scared
I have my own reasons for wanting to terminate my pregnancy. I'm 19 years old, a full time student, work part time, and most definitely couldn't support a child. I just found out last week and have an appointment through planned parent hood coming up in a couple days to take the abortion pill. I'm very scared and and not looking forward to this experience at all. Worst of all i have nobody to talk to about any of this. I feel like an awful person for making this decision, but I know this is what has to be done. I'm hoping to get replies from girls my age who have been through this process through planned parent hood as well so I can get an idea of what it's like.
experience
Hello- i was also 19 when i decided to go to planned parenthood for my abortion and i just would like to warn you against Planned Parenthood! Not only did they handle me with no respect or kindness, when i walked into the procedure room it was covered in blood. In any other venue, this would have been a complete health violation and would have been reported to the medical board. The attending physicians could have easily been sued and licences revoked however somehow Planned parenthood is able to continue with gross sub-standard medical care for women. PLEASE do not buy into any of Planned Parenthood lies and go seek other choices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Triple A Choice for Women is a wonderful organization that can Help!!!!!!
I am in the same boat. Im 19
I am in the same boat. Im 19 and just found out I was pregnant for the first time today. I work full time saving for nursing school. I, as well, cannot afford a baby. I think I may be 7-8 weeks along, but I'm not sure. I'm scared to take the pill too, but everyone's body is different. You may not have reactions like some of these woman have had and maybe I wont either. Keep your head up and when you're cleared get on the shot or pill, thats definetly what im gonna do. Good luckk to you =)
took abortion pills 7 months ago
Hi I am 20 years old I foud out I was pregnant I was 6wks 5days I took all the tablets same day everything happened like I was told. 7months on I still am having problems I get a period every 14 days last 9days than it stops an before I no it its back again I have been to the doctor an they said it may take up to a year to get back to normal I get cramps now an wicked back pain it was the worst thing I have ever done has any one else had this if so what do I do I can't go another 5months like this x
Worried
I took mifepristone 3 tablets in a box that was 30 hours ago all i felt 12hours ago was very bad period pains. I haven't seen any blood . I have been asked to take two tablets of misoprostol 200 microgram each after 72 hours what should i expert between now till i take my next pills ? Live in a remote part of west africa and the nurse who have me this pills has gone back to the city and i can't get hold of her on the telephone . I swallowed my mifepristone on an empty stomach . What are does cramps and pains i felt and will i see any blood before i take my misoprostol ?
worried
i have just done the same, i think u let the next tablets dissolve in ur cheeks for 30 mins then swallow, hope this helps and hope all goes well
My Experience
Im 20 years old and i found out i was pregnant at 6 weeks and 3 days. I was physically and emotionally unstable to take care of a baby. Most of you are thinking "well you should of kept your legs close!" And you are absolutely right and not alone used better protection. Now i have to deal with the situation and i did. I chose the medical abortion.
I went to planned parenthood on 3/21 and at 2:00 they gave me the first set of pills. I felt fine except for a little nausea. They prescribed me coedine#3 for the pain, doxycycline for infection and promethazine for nausea. The next day after i took the 2nd set of pills. I started bleeding immediately and the cramps were mild at first. I took the coedine but it seems like the cramps got worse.It really didnt phase me much bc im used to heavy periods and cramping. I cramped for about 4-6 hours. Afterwards i bled for exactly one week and cramped alot. I passed some clots too but nothing major.
I will say if your used to heavy cramping and heavy periods it may be a little easier for you because you know what type of pain to expect. If your not, it may be the worse experience of your life. My follow up appt is monday I will post a update.
were you able to function on
were you able to function on the second day or did you have to stay in bed? tomorrow is my second day and i am scared.
unbiased experience - updates to follow
i took the first pill on 4/12/11. I took the other four (swallowed two and put the other two between cheek and gums until i decided to move them under my tongue). why? because in addition to the instructions saying we could do that, many people do not know that dissolving medications under the tongue speeds up the effect of the medication. and i just want to get this over with. the information on here is scary, some of it more realistic, but im sure experiences vary. so i took the other four pills today 4/14/11 at 7pm. It is now 10pm. i have bled, passed some small and medium sized clots. i am cramping, but nothing major. i was prescribed vicodin but have not taken it yet and don't plan to because i an unsure how my body will react to it as i have never taken vicodin before and i have a high tolerance of pain. one weird thing i do feel is a hunger like pain in my stomach. i am unsure if my body finds the medication irritating or what. i have slight nausea. i am sleepy but am afraid of passing too much blood while i sleep. i will stay up until at least 1 or 2am because from what i've read, it usually takes six hours to pass everything. i will update in a couple of hours
You are amazing... All of you
You are amazing... All of you are... The strength i actually takes to share your stories, especially this one basically giving blow by blow updates... I have taken the mifepristone but I am almost afraid to take the misoprostol... I know I have to, but it does curb my apprehensiveness. I am a mother of 4 and my youngest is 2 years old... I was on birth control that failed, (the Nuva Ring) and now I am stuck with this decision. It's hard... I will probably take them in the next hour or so but reading postings of scenarios that went totally wrong are what's affecting my ability to just finish what I started. I am honestly scared out of my mind...
I feel you on this!!
I took the pill around 10:20am yesterday 4/21/2011, and I was suppose to insert the others that night. I still haven't did it. I have read so many stories, and I am so scared to take thinking something will go wrong. I'm thinking maybe I should've just taken it and stayed off the internet.. There are good stories, and there are bad stories. I just don't know what to do.. I did starting bleeding today, so I know the part about blocking the progesterone is true! I start passing clots at work without taking the other 4 pills.. I am not sure that I will take the rest of the pills. I am too scared. I have two children, and I don't want to throw my life away because of my decision.. Let me know if you decide to take them, and how it worked for you? Thanks and good luck
Don't be afraid...
I'm sorry I didn't get back to this... I took them that day within the hour. I checked out some various methods of administration for the misoprostol and I think that helped a lot. I took 2 pills by letting them dissolve between my gums and mouth for about 30 mins and then swallowed the remainder. I took the other 2 in the same manner 2 hours later. Within an hour of taking the second dose, I started bleeding. The cramping was mild because of the spacing of the doses, it didn't seem as sudden. Needless to say, everything went extremely well. It has now been a week, and I spot occasionally but nothing major. IT IS REALLY NOT AS BAD AS SOME OF THE ACCOUNTS MAKE IT SEEM. What we have to remember is everyone's body is different and everyone responds to medication differently. My cramping felt more like labor contractions instead of a barrage of extreme pain. I read warnings about using the misoprotol vaginally because it may not fully dissolve and raises the possibility of infection. Be careful, and stay alert. You know your body and what you can handle. Best wishes and good luck.
iam 3-4 months pregnany
i checked with my doctor today and she told im 3-4 months pregnant. Im 24 years and very thin. My height is 5.2" and i weighed 37 kilos. I want to abort this baby bcz im unmarried and its illegal in uae. Can u please suggest me what type of method i can use? Im really worried now. Can u please tell me whether i can do it here or i have to go india and do it? Please tell me about the cost also. Thanks.
3-4 months? It will be painful
I don't think you should do it. I understand all your concerns. That's why I aborted at 6 weeks 4 days. Even though my b/f & I are together and have been for 9 yrs before the abortion, I was afraid to face people as the unmarried pregnant girl. Even as early as 6 weeks - the baby resembled more of a tadpole than a human baby, but I have so many regrets. But as the baby gets bigger and you get further along the risks of complications get higher and the procedure becomes more painful with longer recovery time. You said "go to India" so I assume it's taboo in your culture to have a baby & not be married. There are adoption agencies that will fly you out to California and pay all your expenses and let you choose an adoptive family for the baby when it's born. If it was earlier on in your pregnancy it would be a lit simpler physically even though, depending on your personality it might still have been really tough emotionally, although everyone's different & have no regrets after. They just think of it as a procedure & then it's done. But there;s a reason it's illegal to have an abortion at 3-4 months. It's just not a good idea. Good luck whatever you decide to do. Just know there are places that will help you & help keep it a secret if you want & you just return without your baby after giving it up for adoption. There are other organizations that will just help you financially if you want to keep the baby in the end & not give it up for adoption & help you get medical help, etc. Keep looking online. Don't put your life in danger by going to some doc in a foreign country w. little to no regulation. Good luck
abortion pill
I took an abortion pill I guess it was different because I only took I pill with one follow up. It was like having a period and that was it. I went to work and didn't miss out on any daily routines. There was not tissue during the bleeding. Maybe just a few blood clots. I did not have a bad experiance. Besides the fact that I had had an abortion and didn't have the bad memory of a procedure
Abuse with Sex Workers
With these type of drugs easily available and approved by the board. It could lead to drastic abuse especially to sex workers in various countries. They can use them to easily abort their pregnancy instead of going to the hospital for proper abortion. I strongly suggest that the board disapprove this drug and discontinue productions of it. It will strongly decrease tendency of abortions especially to sex workers or even teenagers who get pregnant at a young age.
My Experience
I'm 30 years old and already have 4 children. My doctor advised me after my last child to not have anymore children because of complications from my 3rd and 4th, and that I should have my tubes tied due. I should have listened but something inside of me said "maybe just one more in 5 or so years". After nearly 3 years being on the pill, I became pregnant while on the pill. At this point my husband and I talked it over and decided we really didn't want to risk it.
I went to a Planned Parenthood center to get the abortion pill. It wasn't as simple as that. After nothing showing up on the ultrasound, they had to take blood and urine sample to be sure I was pregnant, and if I was it wasn't a ectopic pregnancy. A week later I came back since the pregnancy did show up in the blood work, but still nothing on the ultra sound. A third time I came back a few days later and finally it shown up, and they were able to administer the medication. The first pill I took in the office. All this one did was stop the hormones. The next day at exactly 24 hours after, I took 4 ibuprofen (equally 800mg) then placed 4 mifepristone in my cheeks - 2 on each side as instructed, I was to allow them to melt in my mouth for a half hour (and I won't like, they didn't take great, tasted like chalk), I did start to feel light cramping before the half hour was up, but nothing too terrible.
When the half hour passed I washed the remaining bit down with water and waited. Aside from mild to moderate cramping nothing happened for several hours. Finally about 4 1/2 hours later I did start to bleed lightly. I began to think "did this work?" Several hours after that I did begin to bleed a little heavier but still nothing like what I expected - it was like a mild period at most.
The coming days however it was somewhat different. I did begin to bleed heavier and seeing small to thick clots (as large as golf balls in a few instances)and 2 days after I did get very bad cramping that I did have to take the prescription codeine the clinician prescribed. I bleed heavy that entire night, then then next day it was moderate again, with some cramping. For 3 days after I bleed at times heavy, and sometimes did have strong stomach cramps, with the exception of that one night, the pain was eased with the use of just 2 ibuprofen. I was still bleeding lightly when I went back for my follow up, but it was light.
I now have an appointment with my obgyn to have my tubes permanently tied. While the pill seems less invasive then a surgical abortion, I would not recommend the pill to anyone, if for whatever reason you choose to terminate a pregnancy, the surgical way would probably be much easier on you.
Chronic pain
Prescription drugs are safe for persons who have prescribed them. This is because a physician has evaluated these people and has prescribed them the appropriate dose to treat a specific medical condition. The doctor also will be told exactly how should take the drug, including what things should avoid when take you, such as alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. Doctors are also aware of the potentially dangerous side effects of some medications, why do monitor their patients closely if they submit any of these effects.
Clay Matthew
I sick and tired
I'm sick and tired of people saying to "stop" scaring women with there stories of abortion. Everyones bodies are different and some may go through the abortion like its nothing but I'm 18 and did the medical abortion on April 1 2011. And I must say it was a pretty hard experience. It was after I took the 4 pills I was already having light cramping which very soon started to get worse I woke my boyfriend and was in agonizing pain. I was screaming and crying and I could feel the contractions come and go. This lasted about an hour and a half it's now the fourth day and I'm still bleeding heavily and still have cramping here and there it's late so I'll get on tomorrow and post my whole experience on here.
But everyone stop saying people stories are fake I have been reading everyone stories and I relate more to the painful stories
The girls that went through this experience like it was nothing consider yourself lucky! Cause i wasn't lucky at all!
My experience 4 weeks later
Hi I just wanted to share my personal experience with deciding to go with the medical abortion vs the surgical. I went in March 4th after deciding and really thinking long and hard about what to do with my pregnancy. I am a full time pre-med major student and work part time. Leaving no time or money to have a baby. I heard of so many things from different people about regrets and guilt. I have to say from my personal experience, I definitely don't have any guilt or regrets. To my personal situation I think it was the best decision I made. I got it early enough so it was still in the gestation period. As for the actual physical experience, well its been a month and I am still bleeding and it is very annoying. The heavy bleeding and severe cramping was only for the first 3 days after I took the 4 pills in my cheeks. The pain is not that bad though, I think I only took the Ibuprofin twice and that was it.
After having sex with my
After having sex with my boyfriend i found that there was discharge on the outside of the condom. He tested to see if there ws a hole in the condom and he doesnt think there was. However, his sperm couldhave came out ofthe bottom ofthe condom. We're not sure if its his or mine, what should we do? Would taking The Pill stop me from getting pregnant?
right after the accident
I wish I saw this post sooner. I hope you took the morning after pill. To prevent pregnancy right after an accident, you go to any pharmacies, show them your ID, you have to be at least 18 to purchase the drug, might vary on states. It works for first days but its better if you take it sooner. The pills that people took on this forum is the abortion pill, not a prevention pill. But I heard some stories about using it as a prevention but not so sure how that works.
need help...
Hi there, I took the termination pill on 22nd and 23rd of March. The 1st couple of hours were nightmare but I didn't bleed very heavily, hopefully because i discovered it early in...anyway it's been nearly 2 weeks now and I pretty much stopped bleeding. I went out on Friday and had quite a few drinks woke up on Sat with a bad stomachache that stayed with me till now... I am not sure if it was caused by alcohol or weather or not it is normal, please help. I am freaking out...:-(
still positive after the pill
I took the pill three days ago and i still test positive but am still blinding and soo mush pain what should i do to stop it.
Rooter going to test positive
Rooter going to test positive for a while until your hormones go back to normal. Usually by the time your period comes through. Soaking 2 or more pads within 1-2 hours is a cause for concern after 3 days. I would suggest phoning your doctor for a home visit our failing that, your nearest out of hours gp or emergency department. You may have an infection or it may just be that your body is taking too long to terminate the pregnancy, if this is the case you may need some help.
you still need help anyway so I would suggest phoning someone for advice.
Do not believe the other stories!
I chose to take the abortion pill, when I discovered I was pregnant with someone I had been dating for less than four weeks. It was not an easy decision, since I do want kids, but it was the right one for me at the time. I starting reading these reviews and was getting really nervous about the amount of blood and pain everyone was writing about. The day I went to the clinic, I was 6 weeks pregnant, they gave me the 1st pill and I was really nauseas all day, but I still managed to work a 10 hour day. The next morning, I took two Tylenol 3, 30 minutes before I put the 4 pills into my cheeks. About 30 minutes later I started cramping. They were a little stronger than menstral cramps, but once the tylenol 3 kicked in I was not in any pain at all. There was less blood than a regular period and though it lasted about 10 hours, I took 2 Tylenol 3 every 4 hours and I was not in any pain and basically slept all day. I wanted to write this to let others know that most of these crazy stories cannot be true, and do not be scared. You get to be alone, in the privacy of your own home and that was much better for me than to be in some clinic with a bunch of people I didn't know. A little painful yes, but nothing any woman cannot handle.
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Well if you read about it it says most people have no problem but obviously these lasses did and there not just "crazy stories" plus not everyone is in their own home I have to stay in hospital.
somethings not right
first, i question some of these stories especially the one saying all she can think about is a baby going down the sewage. That is a thought that should have been an initial one. With that said i took a pills jan 15 , jan 16 put the 4 in my cheeks , had cramping and nothing compared to birth, within 2hours i passed some tissue. Bleeding heavier than usual for the following week. No issues for the next wk. Starting on the3rd wk i had on and off cramping along with back pain. Went to e.r they did an ultrasound said they did not see anything else and the bleeding should stop n 2 or 3 days. It didnt but i didnt have clots or bothersome bleeding. That next wk would have been my appointment but i had court and didnt feel he need to go when the e.r said there was nothing left. A wk to the day after e.r. Visit without warning or symptoms i passed the largest of the clots,tissue or what have u.to sum it up i was going to go to an ob doc and speak with them. I finally stopd bleeding like 4 days ago. Bled for over two and a half months.
Please don't panic
After my post on tues 3/22, I have received so many emails regarding people posting after me with their decision. Some are quite upsetting and some fly through the whole process. I would just like to say, If you are planning on terminating your pregnancy, my advice would be to prepare beforehand.
As with any medical proceedure, the more healthy you are, physically and mentally, then the process may not be as bad as you think.
That is quite difficult for me to say considering that all but one of my pregnancies were lost to nature, but every single one, including the terrible time I had at 21 weeks ended terrible, the simple reason being, I had an underlying medical condition which was never diagnosed.
Make sure you get prepared, and please, dont panic when the bleeding starts as you will not know what to do apart from run round wondering if you are ok. All this can make it worse. Please rest as much as humanly possible, dont go back to work until you feel ok to do so.
Some people like me cant help it because they are single mothers, but im sure if there is an older child around the house they can help if 4 words are spoken 'mums not very well'. Younger children also love a bit of 'mummy & me' time too. They love loading the dishwasher or washing machine, try it, it's quite fun to watch..
Also if you do have dependants, walk slowly round you're house.
medical abortion..
hello im 20years old and for reason i dont want to share with the world i decided to have a medical abortion..i was 7 weeks pregnant, i took the first pill at 9.00am on sunday morning got through the day okay just felt tired and a bit sick, then at 9 this morning i left the next pills dissolve in my mouth, by 11 i started to bleed and have cramps..i went and sat on the toilet and there was loads of blood coming out of me but no clots, i went back to bed and put a heating pad on me to help with the pain.i took another dew trips to the bathroom cause the blood was more than a normal period.i had to take my final 2tablets at 1 so i done that and straight after i felt the cramps get worse. By 1.40 the pain was the worst it was all day and while i was sitting on the toilet i seen this something pass that was about 4cm long and a bit thick, since then my cramps arent as bad but im stil bleeding more than a normal period but not bad enough to fill my sanitary pads like everyone else has been talking about. Does this mean i passed the baby already. Im worried incase i dont have a complete abortion.. Any responses would be great. Thanks
I just took the 4 misoprostol
I just took the 4 misoprostol orally on Wednesday. Before taking them, I had read so many horror stories from women online that I almost didn't take them. However I sucked it up and did it. Half an hour after taking them I had the worst cramps of my life. I took some pain killers, curled up in bed and passed out once the pain killers kicked in. After about a 3 hrs nap, I woke up and went to the bathroom and bled quite a bit, with some small clots. However, no huge ones "the size of lemons" like some people have. My pregnancy was only at 6 weeks two days though. I took pain killers around the clock every 6 hours, and besides the initial cramping that happened Wednesday, I've been pain free ever since. It's now Sunday, only 4 days after taking the pills. I'm still bleeding but it's like a normal period, maybe even lighter.
I just wanted to post to let women who are debating going through this that, while every woman is different, not every medical abortion is a horror story. I am very happy with my decision. While I didn't enjoy the cramping and it was uncomfortable, it wasn't unbearable. A small price to pay for such a quick and easy procedure.
As for my reasons to abort - I had been with my boyfriend for 10 months when I found out I was pregnant. He was at college, but was very supportive and we decided to talk over all our options once he came home for spring break. However, that didn't happen. Three days after telling my boyfriend I was pregnant, he left me. There is more to the breakup than just the fact that I was pregnant, but I'll leave it at that for now. I decided to abort and he said he would pay for half; I haven't seen a dime from him. This Thursday, the day after I took the pills, he claimed he never wanted to speak to me again, called me a "dumb slut," among other horrible things. I realize now he had only been faking support and sincerity because he was worried I wouldn't terminate if he did otherwise. While I was hurt by his actions, in no way has it made me regret my choice. I am perfectly happy and so far everything seems to be going wonderfully as far as the abortion is concerned. I'm going in next Monday for my follow up checkup.
I wish you all well and the same easyness that I've had with my situation.
how r u feeling now
Thank you for sharing your story. I am 30 and preparing for my consult on tuesday .. a bit worried but not ready to have a child..
Be strong and we learn from our experiences... I am sorry your guy acted like this..but truly men never get it. I learned that takin women's history. Some men are great..but majority aren't. My guy laughed and said I hope your not prego..because I'd hire someone to punch you in the stomach.. then calls himself a nice guy...
Jokin or not you don't say that to anyone..so Im scared to tell him im prego.. and just going ahead with my girls at my side.
So how do u feel?
pls help
took 6tabs of cytotec yesterday i just experieced slight bleeding after 1 to 2 hours.in the evening i passed a dark stool in the evening im just wondering if it didnt work
Glad Im Not The Only One
Im 20 years old and haave a 2 year old son. Im very greatful to have him and making the option to abort was very emotional only because i know that this baby could have made me as happy as my son now. Unfortunatlly im a single parent and have to work and go to school to get ahead for my son and myself. Having another baby would have only complicated and added more difficult obsticles in my way. Its hard, and having another would break me especially since it wouldnt be with my first sons father :( . Anyways i took the pill on 3/24/11 i took the first pill at the office the located 4 pills in between my gums in my mouth. a few hours later i started cramping and had light bleeding. I was probably around 3-4 weeks so im assuming thats why i didnt bleed as bad. so far everything is good... i bleed more on my regular period. I never thought i would of made this choice but being in this position i fully understand others, im glad im not alone.
hmmm
I have two children, 8 and 6. I just took the pill a few months ago, (first abortion, regret) and I just wanna say to the person that said you have to push, lol that's silly. You do NOT push. If you are like she did, that's weird? Yes it does just expell itself. Depending on how far along you are, you will see it if you pay close attention. No pushing needed, its the same as having a miscarriage.
worried?
Im 19 and I just finished the pill, I started this past sunday, and i return this following sunday for my final appointment,
anyways I was curious if anyone had insight on my situation.
I took the first pill, went to work and college, and was fine.
The next day I took the second pill, and I had the worst cramps ever, due to the fact i usually never cramp, anyways, I was bleeding heavy for the entire day on tues, weds. was light and normal, and thurs it began up again at night bad cramps, heavy bleeding,......
Here we are at friday and my cramps were completely unbearable I left work early, and I've been bleeding again...
when does it end?
Should i keep at the ibuprofen?
Its my first abortion, and I'm a full time college student with a part time job, having a baby is in my future but completely impossible now, and my long term boyfriend has a hard enough time in the economy living on his own also..
We all have our reasons for our decisions, so I think everyone should keep that to themselves, however if you have information on helping each other get through the process then I honestly would appreciate you speaking up .
Thank you
it is a prayer
I want to take pill on friday and i have seen difirent things that happen to my fellow women are parsing through, am praing to God to for give me and take the pain way late it be in a easy way this my five weeks of pragnancy i hoppe it will not be a hevy bleeding thank you
My Review on the Pill (NOT AS BAD!!!)
Hey everyone,
I am here to write a review on the Pill. I took it about a week ago and before I went through with it, I read though most of these stories and was TERRIFIED. I even considered the surgical method because of all I read. Unfortunately, I was less than four weeks and when I went to get my ultrasound, they barely saw ANYTHING in me so my only option was the pill. I wanted to wait for as long as I could to get the surgical but the longer I did, the less happy I was about bearing a child. SO I went ahead and took the pill at the clinic. I fell a little nauseous when I was driving back, but that's the only effect. 24 hours later, I had to take the second set of pills. Prior to that, I woke up and prepared myself mentally and physically. I usually have cramps during my period so I told myself I was going to be okay. AT 12:00 am, i took the anti nausea pill, at 12:30pm I took the second set of the abortion pills. I was instructed to put two each between my cheeks and gums and I did so. At 1:00 I took Ibuprofen. About five minutes after I took the Ibuprofen, I felt like I had to take a shit, and I did. I started bleeding about one hour after taking the pill. Quite honestly, the cramps were NOT as bad as I thought they were going to be. The cramps were less painful than my regular period cramps. I think it's because I took the Ibuprofen(600). . . I bled and I did have some clots, but because I realized the pregnancy so early, they weren't as thick. I have been bleeding ever since and as the days go by, the bleeding becomes lighter. As I type (3/25/11) my bleeding is very very light. I think it will cease in the next few days. As I was told, it is normal to bleed for one to two weeks after the taking the pill.
Do I regret my decision? Quite honestly, I don't. I am actually extremely happy with my decision because I wasn't ready to have a kid at this point in my life. I am 21, a senior in college, want to go to grad school, not financially or emotionally or mentally stable to support a kid. I know I have to take precaution in my actions and that I will be doing till i'm ready to have a kid. The funny thing is I took Plan B 48 hours after the incident happen (cos I'm paranoid like that lol), but because I miscalculated my ovulation period, I definitely got preggos. I'm glad I realized it very early and hope it never happens again. Honestly, do what you want to do if it will make you happy. If you are not ready to have a kid and u happen to get pregnant, terminate the pregnancy. It's your body!
:-)
I could not agree more with your statement about taking charge of your body!! Going through 9 mos. of pregnancy, the whole childbirth experience, and then actually taking on the role of motherhood is a HUGE HUGE HUGE responsibility, and should not be taken lightly!!! I myself took the abortion pill March 26, 2010, and as I already have a 6 year old son and was NOT ready in any way (I'm still in school etc.),having another child just was NOT an option!! The experience was emotional and pretty painful at one point (during the extreme cramps before the blood clots came), but honestly, its not something that cannot be handled, as childbirth and actually HAVING a baby and dealing with all that is MUCH more intense and yes, painful!!! And for these women who think it's a magic pill that POOF! makes the pregnancy go away quickly and cleanly--they are deluding themselves in the first place! Abortion is not a pretty experience, it not something people wake up in the morning saying they want to do that day! It is a difficult choice to be made! But i did feel super relieved after doing it, and a year later I am grateful that I don't have another child, because i just plain and simple wasnt ready, and I'm sure not going to feel guilty or bad about it! It is what it is!!!! Anyway, thanks for your insight, I couldn't agree with your views more!!!