It is a 2-stage process and can be done as soon as a pregnancy is detected and can be seen on an ultrasound. In Australia a medical abortion can be performed only up to 8 — 9 weeks. Beyond this a surgical abortion is necessary. There are things you should know about the process of a chemical abortion, and about your own health, before making a decision. Mifepristone, a synthetic steroid, is administered by mouth or vaginally.
It acts by blocking the action of progesterone that is needed to maintain the early developing pregnancy. It can be done as soon as a pregnancy can be seen in an ultrasound. In Australia, a medication abortion is performed up to nine weeks of pregnancy. A pregnancy needs high levels of the hormone progesterone to continue. Mifepristone works by blocking the action of progesterone to cause the pregnancy to stop progressing.
Misoprostol causes the cervix to soften and the uterus to contract to allow the pregnancy to be expelled from the uterus. The process and number of appointments for having a medication abortion varies depending on the type of clinic setting you attend, and whether certain tests you need such as ultrasound and blood tests are available on site or require separate appointments. A number of clinics are able to offer necessary tests and medication abortion in a single initial appointment.
The process of having a medication abortion generally involves the following steps:. Note: The timing of the pain and bleeding is unpredictable. It occasionally starts before taking the second medication, but may take up to 24 hours to start. It is important to have a follow-up appointment to make sure the procedure is complete and the pregnancy has ended. Many doctors order a blood test to check that the pregnancy hormone level has dropped.
Medication abortion does not work in around one percent of cases. Around two to five per cent of women will have some pregnancy tissue remaining in the uterus womb and will need further treatment such as additional tablets or a small surgical procedure to complete the abortion.
Your doctor will discuss this with you. The doctor or nurse will advise you on taking care of yourself in the days following the abortion. This can include using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication to help manage the cramps your doctor can prescribe stronger medication if needed.
Hot packs and massaging the painful area can be helpful. To reduce the risk of infection during the week after having the procedure, it is recommended that you do not:. Your doctor will have informed you about the risks and symptoms of possible complications and what to do if they occur, such as where to obtain assistance at any time. Your doctor will inform you about the risks and symptoms of possible complications and what to do if they occur.
If you had an ectopic pregnancy pregnancy outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes that was not diagnosed before you took the abortion medication, you will require emergency treatment. This happens to one in 7, women who have a medication abortion.
If you are concerned about symptoms, seek medical assistance by contacting the clinic where the medication abortion took place, a GP, your nearest hospital emergency department or by calling for an ambulance.
If you have signs you are still pregnant after a week or you are not bleeding at all 24 hours after taking misoprostal, seek medical assistance straight away. If the abortion does not occur and you remain pregnant, it is recommended that you do not continue the pregnancy as in some cases the medications you have taken may cause malformation of the developing fetus.
After having an abortion, most women feel relief, and that they made the decision that was right for them at the time — particularly if they had support, and were able to make a free and informed decision.
If the decision was difficult for you, you may feel sadness or have other negative feelings, especially in the short term. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.
National Institutes of of Health , include:. The drug was licensed in France in , and approved for use in the United States in Abortion drug decision pushed back by Health Canada. In January , Health Canada's approval decision was pushed back as the government agency requested additional information from the drug's manufacturer. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights said it hopes Canada will eventually follow the World Health Organization's recommendation that health-care providers other than doctors — midwives and nurse practitioners, for example — be allowed provide the pill.
Having a medical abortion using RU in Canada will involve two visits to the doctor. On the first visit, the patient takes one mifepristone-misoprostol combination pill under doctor supervision. At home, they take four more within 12 to 24 hours. The patient returns for a post-treatment examination within one to two weeks. RU will be distributed in Canada by Celopharma Inc. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
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Health Canada also listed several possible side-effects, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever or chills, headache, dizziness and weakness. A followup assessment is required a couple of weeks after taking the drugs to confirm that the abortion was successful. In Canada, mifepristone is approved for use up to seven weeks into a pregnancy, although it is used in many countries up to nine weeks, and is now approved for use up to 10 weeks in the U.
It cannot be used for ectopic pregnancies, or in women who have an IUD in place. Women who take corticosteroids, who have bleeding disorders, or who are very anemic are advised not to use mifepristone. While medical abortions have been available in Canada in the past using a different drug, they have not been widely used. Medical abortions previously used a drug called methotrexate, which is primarily used for treating cancer.
Mifepristone RU has several advantages over methotrexate: it is easier to use, works faster and provides more predictable results, Dr.
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