The first drug, mifepristone, acts to block progesterone-a hormone necessary to maintain pregnancy. Mifepristone causes the uterine lining to shed, disconnecting and in essence starving to death the developing unborn child.

A second drug, misoprostol, is taken a day or two later and causes the womb to expel the now dead embryo. Taken in tandem, the two drugs cause a miscarriage.

On September 28, 2000, mifepristone was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in chemical abortion under the brand name Mifeprex.

The companion drug, misoprostol, was already available in the U.S. as a treatment for ulcers. Misoprostol is manufactured by Searle Pharmaceuticals under the name Cytotec.

Mifepristone is the first drug legally prescribed in the U.S. for the sole purpose of ending a human life. It is not a contraceptive, as it is used after the mother knows she is pregnant and the unborn baby is developing in her womb.

What is the risk to women?

Even proponents of mifepristone/RU-486 acknowledge that the chemical abortion it triggers is not a quick and easy abortion.
Common side effects of the drug include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and vaginal bleeding. Five to eight percent of women require a follow up surgical abortion when the chemical abortion fails.¹
During the U.S. clinical trials, at least one woman hemorrhaged so severely that she lost one-half of her blood and nearly died due to the drug's use.²

How does a chemical abortion differ from a surgical abortion?

The chemical abortion mifepristone/RU-486 differs from surgical abortions in several aspects, the following being one of them: Rather than relying on an abortionist to kill her unborn child, the chemical abortion requires the mother to end her pregnancy by her own hand. "By taking the pills, women are performing their own abortion," says French gynecologist Elisabeth Aubeny.³

Is the "Morning-After Pill" the Same as Mifepristone?

No. Mifepristone is taken when a woman knows she is pregnant and with the intention of aborting her unborn child. On the contrary, the so-called "morning-after pill" is sold to women as a form of "emergency contraception" to prevent pregnancy.  The first pill is supposed to be taken within the first 72 hours after intercourse, followed by the second pill 12 hours later.²  Depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, the pill could affect yo in one of three ways3:

1.  Ovulation may be prevented if you haven’t already started ovulating (the egg will not be released to meet the sperm).

2.  The lining of the fallopian tubes (where fertilization occurs) may be affected so that sperm cannot reach the egg, preventing fertilization, also known as conception.

3.  If the egg has been released and becomes fertilized by the sperm, the lining of your uterus will become irritated, which will interfere with the ability of the fertilized egg to implant in your uterus. (Your body will reject the baby, and he or she will die.)

1. http://www.go2planb.com/PDF/PlanBPI.pdf.

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. “The First Nine Months,” Focus on the Family LF177, 3.

5. Chase, Emily. “Preven… ‘Morning After’ or Mourning After?” LifeNotes. Fall 1998.

This booklet was compiled by Hope Robertson.

© 2007 Focus on the Family, www.family.org

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