What is an abortion pills?

 

It is call the “pill”, but the abortion pills has nothing to do with the contraceptive “pill”. Obstetrician-gynecologists’ Dry Marie-Laure Brivla immediately inform the press: “It is very important to clarify this because there is often a misunderstanding. The contraceptive pill is a general term use when talking about contraception. We continue to incorrectly talk about the abortion ‘pill’ because it is a pill but not a contraceptive method. The purpose of contraception is to prevent pregnancy by preventing it, whereas the abortion pill causes an abortion, which means terminating the pregnancy.

 

The abortion pill, invent in 1982, is not a contraceptive method, but a drug (mifepristone or RU 486) design to induce abortion in an active pregnancy. It is also not an emergency contraceptive pill. Information and instructions for use by gynecologists’ Dry Marie-Laure Brivla.

 

Who invented it?

The abortion pills was invent in 1982 by Professor Etienne-Emile Beulieu. He is a world-renown doctor, biochemist and endocrinologist. In the 1990s, he discover the anti-ageing hormone DHEA and the protein FKBP52, which can block the Tau protein, which is active in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

What is it called?

The scientific name of the anti-abortion drug is “RU 486”. RU is the abbreviation of the Roussel-Calf laboratory that market it, while the three numbers 4-8-6 correspond to the serial number of the molecule synthesize. Its active substance is mifepristone, market under the name Midengined®.

Is it an emergency contraceptive?

The abortifacient is not an emergency contraceptive. Therefore we need to make a distinction.

The classic contraceptive pill, which is taken to prevent pregnancy, is available on prescription.
The emergency contraceptive pill (morning-after pill) is also a technique to prevent pregnancy, but it is reserve for emergencies only”. It is a contraceptive to prevent ovulation and conception after an unprotect report, taken in time in case of forgetting to take the pill and an unexpect report , but not for long-term use. Emergency contraceptive pills are available without a prescription in pharmacies, even for minors.
The abortion pill is use therapeutically for abortion and is only available on prescription.

What are the ingredients?

The abortion pills contains mifepristone, an artificial hormone that blocks the action of progesterone.

What is its mechanism of action?

The active substance in the abortion pill, mifepristone, has an anti-hormonal effect, explains Dry Brivla. “Progesterone, which helps a fertilize egg to implant and develop in the womb, is the progesterone produce by the ovaries. Mifepristone is an artificial hormone that looks like progesterone but does not have the same effect; during pregnancy it competes with progesterone and eliminates its effect, it does not help the egg to implant but separates it”.

How should I take the abortion pill?

In France, the taking of abortion pills is regulate by law and follows a regulate procedure. It can be carry out at home according to a protocol, at a time that suits the woman’s schedule and not necessarily in the presence of a medical professional.

The woman first makes an appointment (in town or at the hospital) with the doctor who will perform the medical abortion. The woman seeking an abortion must request a consultation appointment within 5 days of her call, recalling the HAS of April 2021.

At this appointment, the doctor will give you all the information about the progress of the abortion (evacuation, bleeding ) , and will prescribe a blood test (find your blood type) and a pelvic ultrasound.

The woman will then return with the test results for a second appointment and the doctor will give her two pills (mifepristone antigassing and a prostaglandin, misoprostol, which increases uterine contractions to evacuate the egg). The woman will be given a leaflet about the usual consequences of abortion and a telephone number to call in case of an emergency.

Between the 14th and 21st day after the abortion, a follow-up visit is expect to check that the abortion was successful.

How many weeks into pregnancy can I take my abortion pills?

The abortion pill can be taken as a method of medically terminating an intrauterine pregnancy.

At the latest on the 63rd day after your last menstrual period (9th or 7th week of pregnancy).
It should be taken with prostaglandins after 36-48 hours.

To soften and dilate the cervix before surgical termination of the first pregnancy.
To prepare for the action of prostaglandins if the medical termination of pregnancy is more than three months away.

Bleeding, pain: What should I do after taking the drug?

After taking prostaglandins (Mifepristone), within 3 to 4 hours, there will be irregular bleeding (hemorrhage) that indicates the effect of the medical procedure, but does not indicate complete expulsion. “The Haute Authority de Santé emphasizes that “the incidence of complications (heavy bleeding) with home abortion is almost the same as with hospital abortion. “In the case of exceptional bleeding, the woman has an emergency contact number, which is given by the doctor at the time of prescription,” Dr. Brivla said.

Abdominal and pelvic pain due to uterine contractions is almost a common occurrence. It is recognize that pain increases with pregnancy, gestational age, and the amount of prostaglandin use. Since the intensity of pain varies from woman to woman, level 1 analgesics such as NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen analgesics) and level 2 analgesics (e.g. paracetamol combined with opiates and codeine) are routinely prescribe.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages of the abortion pill

Efficacy: gynecologists claim that it is “very effective, with a success rate of 95-98%, especially when taken early, and its action is faster and more easily observe in the fourth or fifth week of pregnancy than in the ninth week”.
Easy to take: only one tablet is need.

Disadvantage: we don’t hear enough about the risk of failure. “‘Abortifacients are not 100% effective. This is because there is a 2-5% failure rate, and women do not tell themselves there is a risk of failure.

That failure must be understood. We need to understand this failure because if it fails, the pregnancy will continue and the abortion deadline will be extend. “It is also important to understand the risks if you do not follow the instructions for taking this medicine. “It is also important to understand the risks of not following the procedure. They tell themselves that it work because there was blood, but they may find themselves in a very delicate situation,” Dr. Brivla warns. If a medication abortion doesn’t work, an aspiration procedure must be use. However, surgical aspiration is limit to 14 weeks of amenorrhea (12 weeks or 3 months of pregnancy).

Is it available in pharmacies?

Mifepristone is provided to women by specialists in person or by dispensing pharmacies as part of a teleconsultation.