RU-486 (Mifepristone)

Mifepristone can be used alone or in combination with misoprostol to cause an abortion, within 49 days of the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period (LMP).  This is the only chemical abortion that is approved by the FDA.

Procedure:

• RU-486 is given early in the pregnancy within 49 days of the first day of the LMP.
• Three office visits are part of the FDA guidelines. (If an abortion provider does not require the 3 visits, they are not following the FDA’s regimen.)
• The first medication administered is Mifepristone.
• The second medication, Cytotec, is given within 36 to 48 hours after the first.
• The third visit, 10 to 15 days later, is to determine if the pregnancy has been terminated.

Important note:  RU-486 will not work in the case of an etopic pregnancy - a potentially life-threatening condidtion in which the embryo lodges outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.  If not diagnosed early, the tube may burst, causing internal bleeding and in some cases, the death of the woman.

Potential side effects:

• Severe pain in order to expel the fetus (79-96% of women)
• Heavy bleeding (RU 486 causes 4x the bleeding of a surgical abortion)
• Nausua, diarrhea and vomiting (24-61%)
• Other physical side effects: fatigue, fainting, skin conditions, anemia, hot flashes, heart palpitations, breast conditions, thirst
• Failure to complete the abortion (8%)
• Post Abortion Stress – a condition that may result from the emotional trauma of seeing the dead fetus

Risk factors with RU486:

Researchers have excluded certain women from the studies for fear that the drug might prove dangerous to them.  Anyone with the following risk factors should not take RU486:

1. Cigarette smoking
2. Use of birth control pills or IUDs for 3 months prior to conception
3. Menstrual irregularity, fibroids or endometriosis
4. History of problem pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease or ectopic pregnancy
5. Cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure
6. Allergies, epilepsy or adrenal insuffficency
7. Recent use of steroids or anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen
8. A history of liver, stomach, intestinal or kidney disease

How much will RU486 cost?
A mifepriston/misoprostol-induced abortion costs approximately the same as a surgical abortion performed at the same stage of pregnancy.