Quick Facts About the Abortion Pill 

1. What is the abortion pill? 

The Abortion Pill is a regimen of two medications, also called RU-486, or Mifeprex. The two medications are called Mifepristone and Misoprostol. This is the most common type of medical abortion, and it is FDA-regulated to 10 weeks of pregnancy. 

When a woman takes the Mifeprex regimen, she will first take Mifepristone which blocks progesterone, the pregnancy hormone, cutting off the lifeline to the growing embryo and causing the embryo’s death. An important note: the process can often be successfully reversed at this stage. 

2-3 days later, the woman will take Misoprostol, also called Cytotec, which will cause the uterus to contract and expel the baby. This stage is accompanied by severe cramping and heavy to extreme bleeding which can be prolonged.

2. How is the abortion pill regulated? 

• In 2000, the FDA approved Mifeprex (in use with Misoprostol) for use in the U.S up to 49 days of pregnancy, requiring all serious adverse events to be reported by Danco. 
• Between 2000 and 2016, the FDA required physicians to prescribe abortion drugs and provide in-person care before taking the abortion pill to check for ectopic pregnancy, gestational age, and other risk factors, and follow-up care after completing the abortion pill to monitor complications and side effects. 
• Between 2016-2021 the FDA removed all such safety standards. 
• In 2016, the FDA weakened it’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation strategy and updated the Mifeprex Label to approve use up to 70 days gestation, change the recommended dosage, allow non-physicians to distribute abortion pills, and requiring only deaths to be reported. 
• In 2019, a generic version of Mifeprex was approved by the FDA, called Mifepristone (in use with Misoprostol) produced by GenBioPro. 
• During Covid-19, a court order blocked part of the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy and allowed abortion pills to be dispensed online. In 2021, it was ruled that in-person medical oversight would not be enforced for the rest of the public health emergency. In the same year, the removal of in-person dispensing requirements became permanent. 
• Currently, abortion pills can be purchased online without verification of the pregnancy or the person purchasing them. 
• On March 27^th this year, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine challenged the FDA’s policies that have allowed the expansion of access to the drug mifepristone at the Supreme Court. 

3. Where can women get the abortion pill? 

With one click of a button on a friendly-looking website, women can order abortion pills to their doorstep. There are many websites like these that are easily accessible with a quick google search. 

4. What are the risks and side effects associated with the abortion pill? 

The FDA reports that 1 in 25 women who take the Abortion Pill will end up in the ER. ER visits related to abortion pill complications have increased by over 500% in the past 10 years. 

The side effects commonly associated with the abortion pill are cramping, bleeding, nausea, weakness, fever, chills, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. 

The physical risks of the abortion pill are: 

• Infection – 1 in 50 women taking the abortion pill will have an infection
• Hemorrhage – 15% of women taking the abortion pill suffer hemorrhage 
• Incomplete abortion 

At CPC Metro, we know that the risks associated with the Abortion Pill are not only physical they are deeply emotional and can last for a lifetime – like depression, suicide, eating disorders, addiction, difficult relationships, shame, guilt, and so much more. Learn more about Post Abortion Stress and healing here. 

The first step to empowering the choice for life is truthful information!