Abortion pills feature is to artificially interrupt pregnancy. Despite high efficiency of abortion pills, they can be used for termination of no more than 49-days pregnancy.
Abortion pills abortifacient effect is characterized by their ability to block hormone progesterone receptors, increasing the contractive activity of uterine muscles and fallopian tubes. Given that pregnancy cannot occur and develop without progesterone hormone, abortion pills provide detachment of the ovum from the uterus, and then its evacuation from the body. Note: excretion of the ovum from the uterus is accompanied with abundant uterine bleeding.
It is noteworthy that the excretion of the ovum may only take place in several hours after oral intake of abortion pills. However, usually abortion takes place within a couple of days after oral use of abortion drug. Despite the fact that abortion pills are the safest termination of early pregnancy method, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist before using them.
In modern clinical practice two types of abortion pills are used for artificial termination of pregnancy, these are: Mifepristone and Misoprostol. Mifepristone drug is available under the trade names: Mifeprex, RU 486 and Mifegyn. Abortion pills, containing the active substance Misoprostol, come on the regional pharmaceutical markets under the trade names: Misotrol, Снещеусб Prostokos, Cyprostol, Arthrotec, Mibetec and Oxaprost.
Mifepristone is among few medications, used for non-surgical abortion in early pregnancy. But Misoprostol is mostly known as medication for treatment of the stomach and duodenum disorders. Reasonability use of Misoprostol to interrupt pregnancy lies in the fact that it stimulates the uterine contractions, providing excretion of the ovum from the uterus.
Few conditions must be fulfilled in order to terminate pregnancy by means of abortion pills.
Thus, woman has to undergo the ultrasound test before using abortion pills, to determine the precise pregnancy term. In addition, a gynecological examination is needed, the one that helps to exclude contraindications to medical abortion.
Also, before prescribing the abortion pills, health care professional must inform the patient how abortion pills help to terminate pregnancy and warn about all possible side effects. Some women might need medical supervision within 4-5 hours after the use of abortion pills.
In 14 days after the use of abortion pills, woman should visit gynecologist. Control examination of gynecologist is needed to make sure that abortion pills caused excretion of the ovum from the uterus. Rarely, abortion pills partially stimulate the excretion of the ovum from the uterus. It means that to remove the rest of the ovum, women might need surgical endometrectomy (curettage of the uterine cavity).
Abortion pills are safe alternative to vacuum or surgical abortion. However the disadvantage of abortion pills, is that they can only interrupt unplanned pregnancy within the first two months.
The fact that no anesthesia is required after the use of abortion pills, is their absolute advantage. And if abortion pills cause abdominal pain (one of the most common side effects), woman has to take oral analgesic (any, including analgesic over the counter).
Besides that, women need hospitalization after the use of abortion pills. So the next day after medical abortion, woman can go back to her usual social and professional activity.
After the successful use of abortion pills, women are recommended to choose some effective birth control pills that can prevent the unplanned pregnancy in the future.