What should I expect if I order an abortion pill online?

Note: information on this site does not constitute medical advice. Please do not make any medical decisions without speaking to a trusted health care provider.

One option for people seeking an abortion in rural areas like the Eastern Sierra is getting the abortion pill from online medical abortion providers. These providers will meet with you virtually, and if you are eligible, they will send you the abortion pills in the mail. You also may be able to get abortion pills from an in-person provider at a health clinic.

What is the abortion pill?

The abortion pill is how people refer to a "medical" or "self-managed" abortion. The abortion pill is actually two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol.

First, the patient takes the mifepristone pill. Mifepristone stops the pregnancy from growing by blocking progesterone.

Either right after taking the mifepristone or up to 48 hours later, you take the misoprostol pill. Misoprostol causes a miscarriage.

What to expect after taking the abortion pills

Within 24 hours of taking misoprostol, most people experience heavy bleeding and cramping as the uterus empties.

Who can get abortion pills?

Different providers will have different requirements. Check with a medical abortion provider but here are some general guidelines for who is eligible to receive abortion pills:

• Less than 11 weeks pregnant
• Has a mailing address address in a state where the health care provider serves. Note: most online providers do not need the mailing address to match the patient's home address.
• Some providers may need additional tests before abortion pills can be sent. People with a history of irregular periods or ectopic pregnancies will generally need an ultrasound. The medical abortion provider can send an ultrasound referral to a local lab or hospital.

What if something goes wrong?

The most important thing to know is that medical abortions (or pill abortions) are incredibly safe.

Reputable online providers offer support and resources every step of the way, including a healthcare provider who can answer questions, offer advice, and tell you if you need to go to the hospital.

A miscarriage caused by an abortion pill is exactly the same as any other kind of miscarriage. In some situations, a person experiencing a miscarriage, medically-induced or not, will require an additional procedure like D&C (dilation and curettage), which is a surgical procedure to remove any additional tissue left in the uterus. Patients do not need to disclose that they have taken pills to induce a miscarriage. A miscarriage from a pill has to be treated the exact same way as any other kind of miscarriage.