RU-486, also known as the abortion pill, is a medication that causes the termination of an early pregnancy.
RU-486 involves the use of two different pills. The first pill contains a medication called mifepristone. When taken, this medication blocks the action of the hormone progesterone that is needed to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Without progesterone, the pregnancy will die, and a miscarriage will occur.
Two days after taking mifepristone, a second pill must be taken that contains a medication called misoprostol. This second medication makes the uterus contract and push out the pregnancy tissue. This is similar to what happens in a natural miscarriage.
Taking RU-486 is very different from having a surgical abortion. A surgical abortion must be performed in a hospital or clinic by a doctor. Local anesthesia and sedation is used during the procedure. The actual abortion takes approximately 10 minutes and the process is complete as soon as the procedure is over.
In comparison, a medical abortion with RU-486 requires a few visits to the doctor to take the medications. There is no surgery. The person goes home and waits for the pregnancy tissue to be expelled within several days. However, the person using RU-486 may experience side effects, such as strong cramping and heavy bleeding.
Approximately 92% of the time, RU-486 leads to the complete termination of a pregnancy. That means that 8% of the women or girls who take RU-486 will end up needing a surgical abortion procedure to remove pregnancy tissue that did not come out on its own.
RU-486 can only be used in the first seven weeks of pregnancy.
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