The pregnancy-terminating RU-486 medication, aka "The Abortion Pill," is the most effective way to end gestations in the first seven to nine weeks.
Half of the pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and 40 percent of these are aborted, according to a report by the American Journal of Public Health.
The Guttmacher Institute, which specializes in reproductive health, adds that nearly 53 million legal abortions have occurred from 1973-2011. In 1973, the Supreme Court levied its landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
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These statistics illustrate the need for a safe, effective and non-invasive medical option to assist who have made the emotionally difficult to end a pregnancy. It's important to gather information, so here are eight medical facts regarding The Abortion Pill:
1. Mifepristone, aka RU-486, must be prescribed by a doctor within the first 63 days — nine weeks — of a pregnancy, though it's 49 days (seven weeks) in some states, according to Planned Parenthood. Women beyond nine weeks can schedule an in-clinic abortion.
2. RU-486 is 97 percent effective. Should it not work, an aspiration abortion will be required. The pill works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy,
according to the National Adoption Federation.
This breaks down the lining of the uterus and prevents the pregnancy from continuing. A second medication, misoprostol, is taken 24-48 hours later, and will cause the uterus to empty.
4. About two-thirds of women will have a complete medical abortion "within four hours of using oral misoprostol," the NAF says. Women should expect to have bleeding and/or spotting for 9-16 days.
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5. Medical abortion is similar to an early miscarriage. Side effects include: abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, dizziness, mild fever or nausea. Over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol or Advil can help mitigate these symptoms, though aspirin isn't recommended.
6. A new menstrual cycle begins after an abortion. A woman should have her regular period in 4-8 weeks. Planned Parenthood cautions that pregnancy can occur shortly after receiving an abortion, making birth control a necessary concern.
7. This isn't necessarily a medical fact, but the abortion pill can cost up to $800, though it depends on whatever additional tests, visits or exams are needed.
8. Mifepristone has been combined with other medications for medical abortion since 1988 in France and China, and in the U.K. and Sweden since the early 90s. It is licensed in 37 countries.
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