The abortion pill, called by its chemical name mifepristone, is to be used only for very early pregnancies (49 days from the beginning of a woman's last menstrual period). For mifepristone to be effective, it will require a women to visit her doctor three times to complete the procedure.
First, a woman swallows three abortion pills. The pill then blocks action of a hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. Without that hormone, the uterine lining thins so the embryo cannot remain implanted and grow. To fully detach the embryo from the uterus and expel it, two days later the woman must return to her doctor to swallow a second drug, misoprostol, that causes uterine contractions (miscarriage-like cramping and bleeding). Finally, the women must return for a follow-up visit within two weeks to make sure the abortion is complete.
While mifepristone is ninety-two percent to ninety-five percent effective in causing early abortion, some women may require a surgical abortion to finish the job.
If the fetus survived either the mifepristone or misoprostol steps and surgical abortion is not done, a woman could have a malformed child. If the fetus died but was not completely expelled, a woman could suffer infection or other problems.
The FDA mandates that women be given a special brochure fully explaining the procedure and side effects, and that they sign a form agreeing to the necessary visits. It also ruled that mifepristone can be distributed ONLY to doctors accurately trained to diagnose duration of pregnancy and detect ectopic, or tubal, pregnancies and to doctors who can operate in case of bleeding or a surgical abortion is needed, or who have made advance arrangements for a surgeon to be on call for such care.
I believe in a woman's choice, but with RU486, I believe this is a better way. We have suffered enough!
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