Using the Abortion Pill Is a Two-Drug Process
The abortion pill that the Food and Drug Administration approved Thursday is part of a two-drug regimen that can end a pregnancy in its early stages, essentially by causing a miscarriage.
The FDA has approved it for use through the first seven weeks of pregnancy, but some doctors say they will offer it through nine weeks of pregnancy.
The pill, to be called Mifeprex, blocks the uterus from receiving progesterone, a hormone that prepares the uterine lining so that an embryo can implant itself and grow. Deprived of progesterone, the uterine lining breaks down and bleeds away.
By itself, Mifeprex works in 65% to 80% of early pregnancies. It will be offered with a second drug, misoprostol, which causes the uterus to contract and expel the uterine lining and embryo. Misoprostol is already on the market as an anti-ulcer medication and requires no approval for use in abortion.
Used together, the drugs are effective in 92% to 95% of pregnancies in the first seven weeks, according to Danco Laboratories LLC, the company that is marketing the drug in the United States.
In cases where the drugs do not cause an abortion, patients will require a traditional abortion, which usually involves some form of suction. There is a risk of birth defects if the patient chooses not to end the pregnancy if taking the drugs fails, according to a guide that will be given to patients.
Using the drugs is not as simple as swallowing a few pills, however. Under the treatment plan, a woman must make at least three visits to a doctor’s office or clinic over two weeks.
During the first visit, the doctor will offer counseling and a guide that explains how the drugs work and who is medically eligible. An eligible woman can then take an oral dose of Mifeprex.
Two days later, the woman returns to the office or clinic and takes the second drug, misoprostol. The drug often takes hours to cause uterine contractions and to expel the embryo. Women and their doctors will discuss whether the patient should remain at the doctor’s office or return home while the drug takes effect.
Officials warn that the third visit to the doctor is crucial. During that visit, a doctor checks that the procedure is complete and that there is no tissue remaining in the uterus.
Most women using the drugs experience some side effects, primarily cramping and bleeding. Bleeding may last nine to 16 days.
Once a drug is approved, doctors generally are free to use it in non-approved ways. In the case of Mifeprex, many doctors may decide to offer the drug beyond the first seven weeks of a pregnancy.
