Medical Abortion

Involves taking medication that causes a miscarriage.  First, a woman is given Mifepristone (you may have heard it called RU-486).  It works by inhibiting her body’s ability to produce progesterone, a hormone that is necessary for sustaining a pregnancy.   Three days later, another medication, Misoprostol, is given.  This medication causes a woman’s uterus to contract causing her to have a heavy period and a miscarriage.  Medical abortions are 95% effective.