Gynecology

Abortion - Medical

Overview
How It Works
Safety and Effectiveness

Overview

Medical abortion, also known as non-surgical abortion, is one way to terminate an early pregnancy using medications. Medical abortion is provided by trained health care providers in private office settings, family planning clinics and hospitals.

A medical abortion can be performed from the time a woman suspects and confirms that she is pregnant until up to nine weeks from her last menstrual period. However, some insurance companies limit medical abortion to pregnancies of seven weeks or less.

In clinical practice, medical abortion is about 95 percent to 98 percent effective, causing a woman to completely pass the pregnancy without the use of surgery. In comparison, early surgical abortion is effective 98 percent of the time.

The medications prescribed for medical abortion at the UCSF Women's Options Center are mifepristone and misoprostol.

Medications

Mifepristone, also known as "Mifeprex" or "RU-486," blocks the action of the natural hormone progesterone on the uterus. This causes the lining of the uterus to shed, as it does during a period, and stops the growth of the pregnancy.

Misoprostol, also known as "Cytotec," causes the uterus to contract and initiates bleeding and cramping.

A medical abortion results when mifepristone is combined with misoprostol.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call:
Women's Options Center (415) 353-7003

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated February 28, 2008