How Do Abortion Pills Work? Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
What some people call the “abortion pill” is actually a combination of two pills — mifepristone and misoprostol — commonly called “abortion medication.” The FDA says abortion pills are safe if taken as directed. Currently, abortion pills are now used in more than 60% of all abortions in the U.S. health care system.
Mechanism and FDA Guidelines
Mifepristone blocks a hormone called progesterone that is needed for a pregnancy to continue. The FDA-approved regimen is to take 200 milligrams of mifepristone on the first day. Mifepristone tablets are also sold under the brand name Mifeprex, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2000 to be used along with misoprostol to end an intrauterine pregnancy through 10 weeks gestation. That is measured as 70 days or less since the first day of a patient’s last menstrual period.
Key Facts Summary
- FDA Approval: Since 2000 (Mifeprex).
- Regimen: 200 milligrams of mifepristone.
- Gestation Limit: 10 weeks (70 days).
- Safety: Safe if taken as directed according to the FDA.
Global Distribution and Sourcing
DKT International distributes medicines made in India to women around the world. With splashy marketing campaigns and major donors like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, DKT International has become one of the world’s largest sellers of abortion pills, serving women from India to Mexico. However, some of those drugs are now finding their way into the US through unauthorized online channels. Almost one-fifth of the 30 million products DKT distributes annually for abortions and postpartum hemorrhage prevention come from an Indian company with a record of making substandard medicine.