Is mifepristone harmful

Answer 1

Most women can have a medication abortion safely. But all medical procedures have some risks. Rare, but possible risks include

• an allergic reaction to either of the pills
• incomplete abortion - part of the pregnancy is left inside the uterus
• infection
• undetected ectopic pregnancy
• very heavy bleeding

usually these complications are treatable with medicine or other treatments.

In extremely rare cases, very serious complications may be fatal. The risk of death from medication abortion is much less than from a full-term pregnancy or childbirth.

Serious complications may have warning signs. Call your health care provider right away if at any time you have

• heavy bleeding from your vagina and are soaking through more than two maxi pads an hour, for two hours or more in a row
• clots for two hours or more that are larger than a lemon
• abdominal pain or discomfort that is not helped by medication, rest, a hot water bottle, or a heating pad
• a fever of 100.4°F or higher that lasts for more than four hours
• vomiting for more than four to six hours and you are not able to keep anything down
• an unpleasant smelling discharge from your vagina
• signs that you are still pregnant

You should start to feel better each day after the abortion. Feeling sick - having abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or weakness - more than 24 hours after taking misoprostol could be a sign of serious infection. Contact your health care provider right away if you have any of these symptoms. Do not wait until your scheduled follow-up.

You may need another visit with your provider. Rarely, women need vacuum aspiration or hospitalization. Take your medication guide with you if you need to visit an emergency room, a hospital, or a health care provider.

The abortion pill may not be right for all women. You shouldn't use the abortion pill if you

• are more than 63 days - nine weeks - pregnant
• are not willing to have an aspiration abortion in the unlikely case that the medicines do not end your pregnancy
• cannot come to follow-up appointments
• do not have access to a telephone, transportation, and backup medical care
• have a known or suspected molar pregnancy - one in which the placenta develops abnormally
• have severe adrenal gland, heart, kidney, or liver problems
• take any medicine that should not be combined with the medications used in medication abortion - mifepristone or misoprostol
• take anti-clotting medication or have a blood-clotting disorder
• currently have an IUD. You will need to have it removed before having a medication abortion.

Talk with your health care provider to find out if medication abortion is likely to be safe for you.