Many board-certified OB/GYN physicians caution the use of this strong drug at home without on-site medical supervision. Dr. Catherine Stark, an OB/GYN physician who has cared for thousands of pregnant women over the past 25 years, warns that the rapid expansion of the availability of this drug “disregards patient safety and ignores the well-documented side effect profile of this drug.” A recent study from Canada (published in January 2023) showed about 10% of women who had at-home abortions with this method required an ER visit within six weeks of taking the abortion pill.
The abortion pill process results in symptoms similar to miscarriage: heavy bleeding and spotting for an average of two weeks and cramping. About half of women taking the abortion pill will experience:
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Weakness or fatigue
• Fever, chills, or headaches
Serious side effects:
• Hemorrhage, infection and sepsis
• Ruptured ectopic pregnancy
• 28 women have died taking mifepristone
The abortion pill fails in approximately 5% of cases, at which point a surgical abortion is then often indicated.
Women who begin the process of chemical abortion may experience feelings of regret and severe anxiety. If you have already taken Mifepristone—the first of the two pills but have not yet taken the second pill, it may not be too late. A progesterone treatment commonly used to prevent miscarriages may be able to help.
© Advocates for Better Care | P.O. Box 901, Grand Rapids, MI 49509-0901