Abortion Information

Medication abortion (also called the abortion pill, Mifeprex™) is FDA approved for up to 70 days (10 weeks pregnant) after the start of your last menstrual period.

Note: In Texas, medication abortion is not allowed after a fetal heartbeat is detected (usually around 6 weeks of pregnancy).  

• The “pill” is actually a protocol that involves taking two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, which are taken on two different days.
• Because of the risk of complications, the FDA requires Mifeprex to only be distributed through a restricted program.¹
• It is not available through a pharmacy, but is only available by a certified provider.
• The FDA strongly cautions against the use of mifepristone obtained over the Internet.²
• The abortion pill is not the same as the emergency contraception.
• For women who change their minds after taking just the mifepristone, it may be possible to rescue the pregnancy. For more information, see: The Abortion Pill Reversal.

Vacuum Aspiration/Suction Currettage^3,4 – Up through 13 weeks LMP. Most early surgical abortions are performed using this method. Local anesthesia is typically used to reduce pain. The abortion involves opening the cervix, passing a tube inside the uterus, and attaching it to suction device which pulls the embryo out.

Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)^5,6 – 14 weeks LMP and up. Most second trimester abortions are performed using this method. Local anesthesia, oral, or intravenous pain medications and sedation are commonly used. General anesthesia may be used, if available. Besides the need to open the cervix much wider, the main difference between this procedure and a first trimester abortion is the use of forceps to grasp fetal parts and remove the baby in pieces. D&E is associated with a much higher risk of complications compared to a first trimester surgical abortion.

D&E After Viability^7-9 – 21 weeks LMP and up. This procedure typically takes 2–3 days and is associated with increased risk to the life and health of the mother. General anesthesia is usually recommended, if available. Drugs may be injected into the fetus or the amniotic fluid to stop the baby’s heart before starting the procedure. The cervix is opened wide, the amniotic sac is broken, and forceps are used to dismember the fetus. The “Intact D&E” pulls the fetus out legs first, then crushes the skull in order to remove the fetus in one piece.