Medical abortion

A medical abortion is an abortion where drugs are used to induce the abortion. In the 1970s, such abortions became an option to end the pregnancy during its first trimester.^[1] The drugs most often used in 2009 were mifepristone and methotrexate, either alone or in combination with a prostaglandin.^[1]

Medical abortion is both safe and effective in many situations.^[2] In the United States, the mortality rate for medical abortion is 14 times lower than the mortality rate for childbirth.^[3][4] In the first trimester, the patient can the drugs used for medical abortion can take the drugs safely at home, without assistance.^[5] Starting with the second trimester, it is recommended to take the second drug in a clinic or provider's office.^[5]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Kulier R, Gülmezoglu AM, Hofmeyr GJ, Cheng LN, Campana A (2004). Kulier, Regina (ed.). "Medical methods for first trimester abortion". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2): CD002855. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002855.pub3. PMID 15106180.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ↑ Vlad S, Boucoiran I, St-Pierre ÉR, Ferreira E (February 2022). "Mifepristone-Misoprostol Use for Second and Third Trimester Medical Termination of Pregnancy in a Canadian Tertiary Care Centre". J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 44 (6): 683–689. doi:10.1016/j.jogc.2021.12.010. PMID 35114381. S2CID 246505706.
3. ↑ "Analysis of Medication Abortion Risk and the FDA report - "Mifepristone U.S. Post-Marketing Adverse Events Summary through 12/31/2018"" (PDF). Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health. 2019-04-01. The mortality rate for women known to have had a live-born infant is 8.8 per 100,000 live births, which is about 14 times higher than the mortality rate associated with medication abortion. Other medications that are commonly prescribed or administered in outpatient settings also have risks, including a small risk of death. Penicillin causes a fatal anaphylactic reaction at a rate of 2 deaths per 100,000 patients administered the drug. Phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors, which are used for erectile dysfunction and include Viagra, have a fatality rate of 4 deaths per 100,000 users. These risks are several times higher than the risk of death with medication abortion.
4. ↑ "Mifepristone U.S. Post-Marketing Adverse Events Summary through 12/31/2018". Food and Drug Administration. 2018-12-31.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Self-management Recommendation 50: Self-management of medical abortion in whole or in part at gestational ages < 12 weeks (3.6.2) - Abortion care guideline". WHO Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2022-06-30.