Abortion pills: all their benefits
Overview
Abortion pills can be use to terminate a pregnancy as part of a medical abortion. But how does this option work in practice? What are the molecules use to terminate a pregnancy? There are still elements of interpretation.
What are abortifacients?
In theory, an Abortion pills is a molecule use to terminate a pregnancy as part of any medical termination of pregnancy . In practice, however, this option cannot be reduce to a single drug. This is because a successful abortion (a complete abortion without surgery) can only be achieve by a tandem of two molecules Mifepristone is a drug that chemically terminates a pregnancy. Technically, it is the star of the abortion pill. It is a synthetic steroid that blocks the action of progesterone, one of the main pregnancy hormones. This causes the embryo to detach and the cervix to dilate and open.
Misoprostol is an analogue of prostaglandins, the hormones that stimulate uterine contractions at the end of pregnancy. Its role in a medicate abortion is to stimulate contractions and expel the embryo, usually within 4 hours (sometimes within 3 days) of taking the pill.
What are the indications for taking abortifacients?
These abortifacients are only indicate if you wish to terminate your pregnancy by medication and for a period of no more than one year. 9 weeks of amenorrhea (9 weeks from the last menstrual period) or the 7th week of pregnancy.
Note: Previously, medical abortions were permute at home for up to 7 weeks and in hospital for up to 9 weeks.
How do abortifacients work?
The administration of abortifacients is part of a control programmer involving several steps.
The service begins with an initial consultation with a health professional (obstetrician or gynecologists’ in the city or hospital) within 5 days of the appointment. During this consultation, the doctor will give you all the information you need about the procedure and any side effects. You will also be inform of the (minimal) risks of continuing the pregnancy and given a written statement to encourage inform consent.
You will be ask a series of questions and a clinical examination will be carry out to determine the course of your pregnancy (or gestational age). If necessary, a pelvic ultrasound may also be recommend.
We recommend that you have an informative, supportive and listening interview (psychosocial interview) with a qualify professional (e.g. psychologist). A second consultation will then take place to obtain your written consent and to discuss your next method of contraception. On the advice of your doctor, you will also be test for sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia.
Note: Since the Health Care System Modernization Act came into force there is no longer a statutory reflection period between these two consultations.
After this consultation period, you will be prescribe medication by the pharmacy in the case of remote or by your doctor. You will then administer mifepristone, usually in the presence of your doctor or midwife. Your midwife will advise you on the correct dose, depending on the progress of your pregnancy. They will also prescribe painkillers if you are experiencing pain. Within 24-48 hours of your first dose of misoprostol. If you are rhesus negative, your doctor may also recommend treatment with anti-D immunoglobulin to avoid rhesus incompatibility.
Abortion pill and morning-after pill: same fight?
The abortion pill and emergency contraception have nothing in common and are use in very different situations. Thus, emergency contraception is intend to block ovulation as well as to modify cervical mucus to slow down the passage of sperm. Taking it, up to 72 hours after risky intercourse, aims to prevent pregnancy.
On the contrary, the abortion pill is indicate when the pregnancy is already install. Ovulation and fertilization have already taken place. The method is therefore not preventive, but rather curative.
