What is the Abortion Pills?

The abortion pill mifepristone (RU 486) is a drug that was approve in Germany in 1999 for, among other things, drug-base abortion.

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How does the abortion pills work?

The abortion pill contains the man-made hormone mifepristone. This counteracts the pregnancy-sustaining luteal hormone progesterone, a gestate. It is therefore also call anti-gestate. It causes the embryo to be release from the uterus and die within 36 to 48 hours. After this time, the woman receives a prostaglandin. This is another drug that softens the cervix, triggers labor and thus leads to the expulsion of the dead embryo and the remaining pregnancy tissue from the uterus. In around 95 to 98 percent of women, termination of pregnancy with mifepristone is successful. In the other cases, surgical abortion methods such as scraping or suction must also be use.

Who will get the abortion pills?

The same legal requirements apply to the use of the abortion pill as to any other abortion. In Germany, the abortion pill may only be use up to the 9th week of pregnancy, i.e. up to the 63rd day after the start of the last menstrual period. The pregnancy must be determine by a doctor. Some women are not allow to take the abortion pill or the additional drug prostaglandin: Women who have severe asthma or chronic liver and / or kidney disease, Women with known intolerance to one of the two drugs, Women who have a specific suspicion of pregnancy outside the uterus (e.g. ectopic pregnancy), malnourish women, Women with porphyria,
Women at an increase risk of bleeding, for example due to a misalignment of the placenta, or an increase risk of a rupture uterus, Women with increase intraocular pressure.

Where can I get the abortion pills?

The abortion pill is not available for sale over the counter and is also not available on prescription from the pharmacy. It may only be given to gynecologists and hospitals. So the doctor performing the abortion gives the pill directly to the woman who has to take it under supervision. The additionally require prostaglandin is available as a vaginal suppository or as oral tablets.

How does an abortion with mifepristone work?

First of all, the pregnancy must be determine by a doctor. Then counseling aim at preserving the pregnancy is given by a recognize counseling center. The pregnancy can be terminate at the earliest three days after the consultation. First, an ultrasound scan is Carrie out to determine the length of the pregnancy. The doctor may also take blood to carry out a ß-HCG test.

If the 63rd day of pregnancy has not yet pass, the woman first gives her consent to an operative abortion in the event that the drug method is unsuccessful. She then receives the active ingredient mifepristone, which she takes under the supervision of the doctor. Then she goes home. No major complaints are to be expect. Light bleeding may occur the next day. If the tablets are vomit within eleven hours of ingestion, they must be taken again. If the woman is breastfeeding, she should stop breastfeeding for three days.

At the next doctor’s visit 36 ​​to 48 hours later, the woman is given a prostaglandin, which softens the cervix and triggers labor. It is then examine with ultrasound to determine whether the embryo is still in the uterine cavity or has already come off. In rare cases the embryo has already been expel, but most of the time it is still in the uterus. The prostaglandin now accelerates the discharge of the embryo and bleeding takes place with abdominal pain. In most cases, the embryo has pass within three hours of the prostaglandin administration. If this is not the case, there are several options.

What are the benefits of the abortion pills?

The main advantage of this method is that 95 to 98 percent of the time, surgery with anesthesia is not require. For many women, an abortion is a psychologically stressful situation. Psychological consequences, the medicinal form of the termination of pregnancy does not differ significantly from the surgical methods. Most women handle the termination of pregnancy well and do not have any major psychological problems afterwards, provide they were able to make the decision to terminate the pregnancy independently, counseling services were available and they receive support from friends and family.

What are the disadvantages and side effects of the abortion pill?

A disadvantage of this type of termination is that the treatment lasts for several days. On average, at least four visits to the gynecologist are require. The treatment itself takes two to four days. In around two to five percent of cases, this method is unsuccessful, so that renew drug treatment or scraping is necessary to terminate the pregnancy. Side effects of the abortion pill and the additionally administer drug prostaglandin are abdominal pain and bleeding. In addition, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches and rashes can occur. Severe bleeding, infections, injuries to the uterus and cardiovascular failure are very rare and occur about as often as with the suction method.

Since an abortion is a medical procedure, the question inevitably arises whether it will be cover by health insurance . If there is a medical or criminological indication , the health insurance company will assume the costs .The situation is different if the person concern wants to have an abortion carry out according to the counseling regulation . In this case, the costs will not be cover by the statutory health insurance. As already mentioner, there are also exceptions in which a drug-base termination of pregnancy or a similar procedure can go unpunished for those involve . The legal basis in this regard is provide by Section 218a of the Criminal Code .

There it is define that there is no criminal abortion if the following three conditions are met:

The pregnant woman underwent counseling from a state-recognize body that was more than three days ago and was advise accordingly prior to the operation.

The abortion is perform by a doctor .

The 12th week of pregnancy has not yet end