Non-surgical Abortion Care

Non-surgical abortion, or medical abortion, is commonly called the “abortion pill.” Medical abortion will end a pregnancy without surgery in the privacy of your home. In rare cases, though, medical abortion may not work and a woman will have to undergo a surgical procedure to complete the ending of a pregnancy. The name of the abortion pill is Mifeprex, also called Mifepristone or RU-486. At our Center, we use Mifeprex for early abortion up to 9 weeks. This drug blocks the hormone needed to continue a pregnancy, and is used in combination with another drug called Misoprostol that causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy.

Medical abortion requires 2 visits to our Center. When you arrive at our Center on your first visit, which will take between 2 and 3 hours, you will be checked in by our front-desk staff and asked to complete intake forms. You will then meet with a nurse or counselor who will review your medical history, answer any questions you may have and obtain your consent for the medication. You will also have an ultrasound and pelvic exam to determine the size of the pregnancy and laboratory work (urine pregnancy test and blood draw). In a private room, the physician will do the pelvic exam. At all times during the pelvic exam a nurse or medical assistant will also be in the room with you and the physician. A nurse will then meet with you, give you the Mifeprex pill to swallow and discuss what you need to do at home to complete the pregnancy termination. At home, you will swallow Misoprostol tablets to help you expel the pregnancy. You can expect heavy bleeding (more than with a period) and cramping as you pass the pregnancy usually within 24 to 36 hours. To lessen discomfort, you may take over-the-counter pain medicines like Advil, Motrin or Tylenol. You will return to our center for a second visit in 2 weeks after your first visit to be sure the pregnancy has ended.

Click here to download a printer-friendly PDF of instructions, including after-care guidance, for non-surgical (medical) abortion.