Category: The Abortion Pill

Former abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino on abortions by pill:

“24 – 48 hours after taking RU-486, the woman takes misoprostol, also called cytotec, that is administered either orally or vaginally. RU-486 and misoprostol together cause severe cramping, contractions, and often heavy bleeding, to force the dead baby out of the woman’s uterus.

The process can be very intense and painful, and the bleeding and contractions could last from a few hours to several days. While she could lose her baby at any time and anywhere during this process, the woman will often sit on a toilet as she prepares to expel the child, which she will then flush.

She may even see her dead baby within the pregnancy sac. At nine weeks for example, the baby will be almost an inch long, and if she looks carefully, she might be able to count the fingers and toes. After she has disposed of her baby, the woman may have bleeding and spotting for several weeks.

Bleeding lasts on average, nine to 16 days. 8% of women bleed more than 30 days, and 1% require hospitalization because of heavy bleeding.…

the failure rate increases as the pregnancy progresses. At seven weeks, it is a 5% failure rate, at eight weeks an 8% failure rate, and at nine weeks a 10% failure rate. If failure occurs, she will usually be offered a surgical abortion.

For the mother, medical abortion often causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and heavy bleeding. Maternal deaths have occurred, most frequently due to infection and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy.”

Live Action “1st Trimester Medical Abortion: Abortion Pills” YouTube Accessed August 18, 2021

A report from The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said the following about the abortion pill:

“Bleeding generally starts as the tissue begins to separate from the endometrium and continues for several days after the abortion is complete.

The heaviest bleeding occurs during and immediately following the passage of the gestational sac and lasts one to two days. Some bleeding and spotting may occur up to 9 – 16 days.

Like bleeding, uterine pain and cramping are an expected and normal consequence of medication abortion. Cramping can last from a half-day to three days.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are typically recommended to manage the pain…However, some women still report high levels of pain, and pain is commonly reported as the worst feature of the method.

Prophylactic regimens for pain management are an area of active research.

Other side effects reported by women who undergo medication abortion include nausea, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, fever, and chills. About 85% of patients report at least one of these side effects, and many patients are expected to report more than one.”

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on Reproductive Health Services: The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2018) 54

Abortion counselor Andrea Butcher:

“Occasionally, a woman will say that she wants an RU-486 abortion to punish herself for having become pregnant, even if it was a failure of contraception. She feels guilty and wants to punish herself with what she believes will be hours of strong period pains and consciousness of the procedure. She believes that she will be aware of the miscarriage and body changes and that remembering the procedure will force her not to let it happen again. That is not a good reason for having an RU-486 abortion. I have also heard women say that they want to have a local anesthetic prior to a surgical abortion for the same reason – to remain conscious through the procedure so that it won’t happen again. Consciousness is seen as a form of punishment.”

Miriam Claire The Abortion Dilemma: Personal Views on a Public Issue (New York: Insight Books, 1995) 154

Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, comparing surgical abortion to abortion by pills:

“The two kinds of abortion “have comparable risks with the exception of what we have recently seen as it relates to septic fatalities.”

Gardiner Harris “Some doctors voice worry over abortion pills’ safety”. New York Times April 1, 2006

When the abortion pill first became available, the FDA required general practitioners or other non-abortionists who prescribed it to have an agreement with an abortion provider to do a backup surgical abortion if the pills failed. One abortionist who runs a clinic explained how no local doctors had contacted her to do these backup procedures – meaning that none of the doctors in the area wanted to start prescribing the abortion pill.

Dr. Deborah Oyer, medical director and owner of Aurora Medical Services in Seattle

”We have not been called by anybody about surgical backup and we are the only clinic in the Pacific Northwest that’s been using mifepristone since the first trials. ‘We have gotten lots of calls over the years about medical abortions. We have done seminars on medical abortions and we have had tons of phone calls from the lay public and potential patients. But I don’t know of any doctors calling about surgical backup or about how to get started. ”I’m a little surprised,” she said. ”But also at some level, I’m not. In studies that were done in the last several years, there were always a significant percent of doctors who say they would do medical abortions. But I was always a little suspicious. It’s a lot easier to say you’ll do it than to actually do it.”

Gina Kolata.” Wary doctors spurn new abortion pill; some doctors insist that a surgical abortion remains a better alternative than the new pill.” The New York Times Nov 14, 2000

Roneal Martin, abortion clinic owner, decided that he would not prescribe the abortion pill because the chances were too high that the woman would need a surgical abortion or other medical intervention if the pill failed. In addition, if the abortion pill was prescribed by another doctor, women might have to go to his clinic to have their abortions completed by suction. He decided not to backup any other doctors or provide the pill himself.

He says:

”It comes down to taking over someone’s complications,” she said. ”Does that mean I’m putting my doctor on call in the middle of the night. We might say, ‘Go to the emergency room.’ ‘

Gina Kolata.” Wary doctors spurn new abortion pill; some doctors insist that a surgical abortion remains a better alternative than the new pill.” The New York Times Nov 14, 2000