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What is mifepristone?

Mifepristone, also known as Mifeprex, is an abortion pill used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy in the early stages of the pregnancy, that is, a first-trimester pregnancy. It is an anti-progesterone medicine that stops the growth of the pregnancy.  

As per FDA guidance, mifepristone can be used up to 10 weeks into pregnancy, starting from the first day of your last period (menstrual cycle). This abortion pill is highly effective when taken in combination with misoprostol tablets.

Mifepristone is also used to treat Cushing's syndrome in individuals with type 2 diabetes who have high blood cortisol levels (hypercortisolism) and have not been able or are not able to undergo surgery.

Before using the abortion pill mifepristone, visit your healthcare provider and get proper guidance on using it for medication abortion.

How Does Mifepristone Work?

Mifepristone is an FDA-approved drug used to end an early or unwanted pregnancy. Most women in the U.S. choose the method of medication abortion, as it can be performed at home without any interruption. 

    When you begin the medication abortion, you first have to take the abortion pill mifepristone (200 mg) and then four misoprostol tablets (0.2 mg). Mifepristone should be taken orally with water.     
    Mifepristone helps end the pregnancy by blocking the female hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain the pregnancy. It separates the pregnancy from the uterine lining; hence, the pregnancy doesn’t progress further.

How safe is mifepristone for the medication abortion?

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) first approved the use of mifepristone in the 2000s for medical termination of pregnancy up to 10 weeks of gestation. 

    Mifepristone was licensed in France as the first oral medicine for medical abortion. Its introduction marked a significant leap in reproductive health care by providing a non-surgical method of terminating an early pregnancy.    
    Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries changed their legislation to allow for remote consultations and abortion pills by mail, increasing accessibility for people seeking medical abortions.    
    This in itself proves the safety of mifepristone. Women prefer the use of mifepristone for medication abortion, as it is non-invasive and non-intrusive. It offers complete privacy by allowing you to perform the procedure at your home.    
    Mifepristone is 99% safe, according to the FDA, following thorough research indicating that medication abortion is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy.

What are the side effects of mifepristone?

It is a proven fact that mifepristone is effective in terminating pregnancy, but it has some mild to moderate side effects. They are very normal and temporary. The side effects of mifepristone are:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Cramps
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Fevers and chills
• Abdominal pain
• Heavy bleeding with clots

These side effects are temporary and subside within a few days; however, you can bleed for up to two weeks. If any of these side effects last for a long time or worsen, get in contact with your healthcare provider immediately. If you experience any serious side effects, like anemia, allergic reactions, infections, or incomplete abortion, seek medical attention promptly.

How often is mifepristone used?

If you aren’t aware of how often you should use mifepristone for a medication abortion, then you should seek guidance from a healthcare provider, or you can read this blog further and learn how.

If you are seeking a medical abortion, you first need to confirm with your health practitioner if it’s safe for you to take abortion pills to end your pregnancy. Sometimes, one can have an ectopic pregnancy where you cannot use the abortion pills for abortion.

When you begin the abortion process, you first need to administer mifepristone (200 mg), which blocks the progesterone hormone. Without progesterone, it’s difficult for the pregnancy to develop further, as mifepristone separates the pregnancy from its uterine lining.

Next, you have to administer four Misoprostol tablets. It helps in dilating the cervix and expelling the pregnancy from the uterus within 3–4 hours of consumption.You only need one tablet of mifepristone (200 mg) to end the pregnancy. If you feel your abortion is incomplete, you can take an extra dose of misoprostol but not mifepristone. However, you should consult with your healthcare provider before doing anything.

Can I use misoprostol on its own?

Using misoprostol on its own is an alternative approach to medication abortion. It is a widely used option by women to end an unwanted pregnancy. Misoprostol-only abortion is proven to be effective in ending first-trimester pregnancies.    In this method, there’s no need to take mifepristone, as misoprostol on its own can terminate the pregnancy without procedural intervention. However, people who use this method experience more side effects than people who use both mifepristone and misoprostol for abortion.    
    Misoprostol-only abortion has a success rate of 85%, while abortion with two pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, has a success rate of 99%.

Summary

Medication abortion using mifepristone is extremely safe and effective for terminating a pregnancy. You can use mifepristone along with misoprostol for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy (70 days of gestation). Mifepristone can also be used to treat women who have had miscarriages and Cushing syndrome, a hormone-related illness.