Medical abortion (also called the abortion pill) can be taken up to 70 days (10 weeks gestation) after the start of your last menstrual period.

• It’s called RU-486 and was approved by the FDA in 2000; it is also called a medical or chemical abortion.
• The pill is actually two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, taken in two separate doses.
• It is not an option for people with certain medical conditions.
• The abortion pill is not the same as the emergency contraceptive (The Morning After Pill or Plan B One Step).
• Abortion pill reversal is possible if action is taken after the first dose.

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.