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Sexual Health Centre
Abortion |
Medical Abortion
What is it?
A medical abortion uses drugs
to empty the contents of the uterus. Medical abortions can be done only
early in pregnancy. There are two drug combinations used to cause abortions:
- methotrexate and misoprostol
- mifepristone (RU 486) and
misoprostol
Only the first combination is
currently available in Canada. The second combination mifepristone (RU 486)
and misoprostol is not currently approved for sale in Canada.
Methotrexate is a drug used
to treat psoriasis, and
cancer. It also stops the growth of the pregnancy when given to a woman
very early in pregnancy. Methotrexate is usually given by injection.
Misoprostol is a drug used
to treat stomach ulcers. It causes the muscles of the uterus to contract,
pushing out the contents. Tablets of misoprostol are placed in the vagina
five to seven days after the methotrexate injection is given. In most
cases the uterus will be emptied within 24 hours, but in about 35 percent
of cases, it can take several days or weeks. Pain medication is used to
ease the pain of the cramps, which occur when the pregnancy tissue comes
out of the uterus.
The drugs that induce medical
abortions cause birth defects. A woman who takes these drugs must be prepared
to have a surgical abortion if the medical abortion is unsuccessful. A
follow-up exam is done one or two weeks after the methotrexate injection
to make sure that the abortion has happened.
When is the
procedure done?
Most places will only do a medical
abortion using methotrexate and misoprostol up to seven weeks or six weeks and six days by ultrasound. Where the mifepristone and misoprostol combination
is
available, it may be used slightly longer, up to nine weeks after your
last
period.
Advantages
- avoids surgery and the risk
of damage to the uterus with surgical instruments
- can be done early before
signs of pregnancy occur
- may feel less invasive than
surgery
- may seem more private to
some women since much of the procedure can occur at home
Disadvantages
- takes place over a week
or more and involves several visits to the doctor
- ten percent risk that the
procedure will be incomplete and a surgical abortion will need to be
done
- sometimes causes heavy bleeding
- the drugs may have unpleasant
side effects including nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping or pain,
vomiting, hot flashes
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