How to Use the Abortion Pill

Before starting, read over our advice on Before Using The Pill. Be sure:

• You are less than 13 weeks pregnant (91 days)
• You’ve reviewed all of our considerations and general advice.
• You have a safety plan ready in the rare case of emergency.

Instructions For an Abortion With Mifepristone and Misoprostol

For an abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol, you will need to take one 200mg pill of mifepristone and four to eight 200mcg pills of misoprostol. You’ll also want to have a painkiller on hand, like ibuprofen, to help manage pain. Acetaminophen and paracetamol do not work for pain during an abortion so they are not recommended.

Here’s how mifepristone and misoprostol are taken together to end a pregnancy:

Step 1:

Swallow one 200mg pill of mifepristone with water.

Step 2:

Wait 24-48 hours.

Step 3:

Place 4 misoprostol pills (200 mcg each) under your tongue and hold them there for 30 minutes as they dissolve. You should not speak or eat for these 30 minutes, so it is good to be someplace quiet where you will not be disturbed. After 30 minutes, drink some water and swallow everything that is left of the pills. This is also a good time to take a painkiller like ibuprofen, as the cramping will start soon.

You should begin bleeding and cramping within 3 hours of using the 4 misoprostol pills.

Step 4:

24 hours after taking the 4 misoprostol pills, if you didn’t start to bleed, or if you are unsure that the abortion worked, place 4 more pills of misoprostol under your tongue. Hold them there for 30 minutes as they dissolve. After 30 minutes, drink some water and swallow everything that is left of the pills.

Instructions For Abortion With Misoprostol Only

Before starting, read over our advice on Before Using The Pill. Be sure:

• You are less than 13 weeks pregnant (91 days)
• You’ve reviewed all of our considerations and general advice.
• You have a safety plan ready in the rare case of emergency.
• If mifepristone is not available in your setting, you can use misoprostol alone to end a pregnancy.

For an abortion with only misoprostol, you will need to take twelve 200mcg pills of misoprostol. You’ll also want to have a painkiller on hand, like ibuprofen, to help manage pain. Acetaminophen and paracetamol do not work for pain during an abortion so they are not recommended.

Here’s how misoprostol alone is used to end a pregnancy:

Step 1:

Place 4 misoprostol pills (200 mcg each) under your tongue and hold them there for 30 minutes as they dissolve. You should not speak or eat for these 30 minutes, so it is good to be someplace quiet where you will not be disturbed. After 30 minutes, drink some water and swallow everything that is left of the pills. This is also a good time to take a painkiller like ibuprofen, as the cramping will start soon.

Step 2:

Wait 3 hours.

Step 3:

Place another 4 misoprostol pills (200mcg) under your tongue and hold them there for 30 minutes until they dissolve

Step 4:

Wait another 3 hours.

Step 5:

Place another 4 misoprostol pills (200mcg) under your tongue and hold them there for 30 minutes until they dissolve.

You should begin bleeding and cramping while taking the pills. Make sure to take all 12 pills even if you start to bleed before you’ve taken all of them.