Medication abortion? RU486? The abortion pill? Have you ever noticed how much mystery there is surrounding abortion? Even when you get past all the euphemisms and stigma, there is still a mountain of misinformation you have to climb over. It’s exhausting. Well, luckily, it’s carafem to the rescue! We’re here to bring you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So, what are we talking about when we say “medical abortion?” I mean, aren’t all abortions medical? Well, it’s just a way to differentiate the procedure from a surgical abortion. We are actually talking about a drug regimen that causes an abortion without surgical intervention. These drugs work together to expel an embryo in the earliest stages of pregnancy, similar to a miscarriage. This is a safe method that has been used around the world for over 20 years.
An older, but still pervasive, name for this is RU486. This was the trial name for this drug regimen when it was still going through an approval process in France. But this is America, and who can remember that name anyway? In an attempt to re-brand, recreate, and revolutionize this method, carafem calls it ‘the abortion pill‘, though that is a misnomer, as well. The abortion pill is actually two different pills taken in sequence:
- The first pill, mifepristone, blocks a hormone necessary for a pregnancy to grow.
- The second pill, misoprostol, stimulates the uterus to cramp and bleed so the pregnancy will leave the body.
To summarize, ‘medical’/’medication’ abortion, ‘RU486’, and ‘the abortion pill’ all refer to the same thing: a regimen of drugs taken at the earliest stage of pregnancy.
And though everyone may seem to talk about surgical abortion more, the abortion pill is an excellent alternative to surgical because:
- It can address an early pregnancy (up to 11 weeks)
- It takes less time in a medical office
- It’s not invasive, and it feels more natural, like a miscarriage
- You are in control
What do you call it? Sound off in the comments!
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