Questions and Answers about Abortion Pills

Whether you are a person in need of an abortion, a journalist or just curious about our service, here are some frequently asked questions.
Everything you need to know about how to use abortion pills

Every question has a simple answer and a more in-depth answer which refers to scientific articles. The information given here is regularly updated with the latest scientific research.

General information about the Abortion Service

  1. Why is this abortion service needed?
  2. Is an abortion with pills safe?
  3. Is it legal?
  4. What is an abortion with pills?
  5. Is it difficult to do an abortion by yourself?
  6. Is it safe to do a consultation for an abortion over the internet?

Pregnancy

  1. How do you know if and how long have you been pregnant?
  2. How many weeks into your pregnancy can you do an abortion with pills?
  3. What will happen if you do an abortion with pills after the first 12 weeks?
  4. What if you are not pregnant but take the medicines anyway?
  5. What are the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels during pregnancy?
  6. What if you have a RH- bloodtype?

Precautions

  1. When should you not use the medicines?
  2. What is a contraindication and how do you know if you have one?
  3. What is an ectopic pregnancy and how do you know if you have one?
  4. What is an IUD?
  5. Why shouldn’t you be alone when you do an abortion with pills and what if no one is available to be with you?
  6. Why should you be within 60 minutes of a hospital or first aid centre when you do the abortion?
  7. What painkillers can you use?

Medical abortion

  1. How to abort a pregnancy with abortion pills?
  2. Are there other ways to use Misoprostol?
  3. What happens if you do not use Misoprostol in time?
  4. What if you take the Mifepristone and then decide not to take the Misoprostol?
  5. Can you use Mifepristone and/or Misoprostol if you are still breastfeeding?
  6. Is it safe to have an abortion with pills if you've already had one in the past?
  7. Can you eat or drink while taking the medicines?
  8. Why do you only need 4 tablets of Misoprostol after taking Mifepristone?

The abortion process

  1. When will you start bleeding and how long will it last?
  2. What if you don’t bleed after taking the medication?
  3. Can you see the “products” of the abortion (placenta, embryo, blood) and what should you do?
  4. What are the side effects of the medicines?
  5. What is a successful abortion and how do you know if you’ve had one?
  6. What are the symptoms of allergic reaction?

Complications of medical abortion

  1. How do you know if you have complications and what should you do?
  2. How do you know if you have a post-abortion infection?
  3. How do you know if you have an incomplete abortion?
  4. What is a curettage/vacuum aspiration and is it necessary after an abortion with pills?
  5. How do you know if you have a continuing pregnancy?
  6. What are the chances that the fetus will be malformed if you have an ongoing pregnancy?

Abortion After-Care

  1. Do you need to have an ultrasound after doing an abortion with pills?
  2. Do you require psychological counselling before or after you have had an abortion?
  3. Does medical abortion increase the risk of breast cancer?
  4. Will you be able to get pregnant and have children after an abortion with pills?
  5. When can you start having sexual relations again after having an abortion with pills?
  6. When can you get pregnant again after having an abortion with pills?
  7. How can you prevent a future unwanted pregnancy?

Reference List

Below you can find all the sources used for our Questions and Answers section. By exploring these sources, you can find the scientific studies and articles that further explain and support the information and services that we provide at Women on Web