# How do "abortion pills" work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** roe\_vs\_wade\_abortion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893 "2022-06-26T14:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/1 "2022-06-26T14:39:18Z")
I’ve heard the past few days that women can “get” abortions by taking a pill, rather than going through a whole surgical procedure. On the surface, this seems to be a good work-around of the whole political crisis, but I assume it’s more complicated than it seems to me. Up to what point in a pregnancy can the pill be taken? Are there women who can’t take the pill at any point for some reason? Is it dangerous? And political questions: would the Post Office (or FedEx or whoever) have problems in delivering such pills to No Abortion states? Would doctors violate the law in such states in prescribing them? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/2 "2022-06-26T15:53:12Z")
> [@Roger\_That](#): > > would the Post Office (or FedEx or whoever) have problems in delivering such pills to No Abortion states? Without going into details, I’ll mention that I’ve received packages in the mail that may have contained things that are not strictly legal. (Solid statute of limitations has passed) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/3 "2022-06-26T16:17:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ll mention that I’ve received packages in the mail that may have contained things that are not strictly legal. but were they sent from somewhere where it _was_ legal ? (ie by someone who was not already a miscreant !) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/4 "2022-06-26T16:33:44Z")
I have heard of mifepristone being prescribed for this. It is a synthetic steroid which blocks progesterone and glucocorticoid receptors. It is not especially dangerous, but there are side effects, and you cannot take it if you are on long-term oral corticosteroids or suffer from a bleeding disorder, etc. For medical abortion use, it is followed by a prostaglandin medication however many hours later. Drugs by mail are not especially problematic (isn’t it mainstream?), at least if you have a valid prescription, I don’t mean sending your buddy your leftover heroin. No idea about private, non-federal carriers like FedEx. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/5 "2022-06-26T16:51:51Z")
Misoprostol is an ulcer medication legal in all 50 US states that can also induce abortion, but only within the first trimester (I’ve seen varying sources on exactly how many weeks; some conservative approaches say only up to 8 or 9 weeks.) There are risks that the abortion may not be complete and will require surgical follow-up, so it’s not the perfect work-around. But compared to the risks of full-term pregnancy and childbirth, it’s actually pretty damn safe. I had an abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol and am happy to answer any questions about the subjective experience. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/6 "2022-06-26T16:52:24Z")
Yes, finding this information is very, very difficult. > **[How Does the Abortion Pill Work? | Abortion Pill Function](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/abortion/the-abortion-pill/how-does-the-abortion-pill-work)** > > With the abortion pills, you'll take two pills and have your abortion at home. Learn how the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol work. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/7 "2022-06-26T19:01:34Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@SmartAleq](#): > > Yes, finding this information is very, very difficult. Comments like this are not permitted in FQ. From the Factual Questions Rules & FAQs: > [@Factual Questions Rules & FAQs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-questions-rules-faqs/447561/1): > > By the same token, we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was because a search could have answered the question. Nor are we interested in hearing how simple it was for another poster to find the answer in a search engine. If it’s that simple to find the answer, go ahead and post the answer. You did at least post the answer, but that doesn’t excuse the snark. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/8 "2022-06-26T19:20:30Z")
Something interesting I learned today is that unlike Plan B, which starts to lose its effectiveness in women weighing 165 pounds or more (and in one study, failed completely at 176 pounds or more), abortion pills don’t have a weight limit. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/9 "2022-06-26T21:48:04Z")
I don’t think the Planned Parenthood page actually answers much of the OP. The specific linked page does not address the question of up to what point in a pregnancy the pill can be used, though if you click through the site, you can find it elsewhere. I don’t see anywhere it addresses the question of whether there are some women who can’t take it at any point for some reason. The question of whether it’s dangerous is touched on but inherently somewhat subjective and worthy of discussion. The questions about getting the pills delivered where they might not be legal is also not discussed at length, and it’s also quite subtle. Generally, there can be legal issues with shipping things to states where they’re not legal, but practically, a lot of people do get away with it, and specifically here, even if the abortion pill RU-486 (a combination mifepristone-misoprostol treatment) is outlawed, it’s still possible to terminate a pregnancy with just misoprostol, which is also an ulcer medication. That’s not to say it couldn’t also be specifically banned, or that doctors who knowingly prescribe it off-label wouldn’t be prosecuted. Those are the kinds of questions this board is good for. Planned Parenthood does great work, but their website is aimed at educating the public about what they need to know to manage their personal reproductive health. So it’s littered with vague qualifiers about “sometimes” this and “ask your doctor” about that. For those of us trying to imagine what a post-Roe America will look like, it doesn’t give us much to work with. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/10 "2022-06-26T22:05:16Z")
[drugs.com](http://drugs.com) says that mifepristone (for abortion, not high blood sugar) should not be taken if you have an ectopic pregnancy, adrenal failure, corticosteroid therapy, history of allergy to prostaglandins, haemorrhagic disorders or anticoagulant therapy, or inherited porphyrias. There are also potential interactions with other drugs. How to take it is, remove any IUD, take a 200 mg mifepristone tablet, wait between 24–48 hours (not more or less), then place two 200 μg misoprostol lablets in each cheek for 30 minutes, then swallow the remains. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/11 "2022-06-26T22:41:23Z")
As for mailing it from a pro-choice state to one that has declared it illegal, I don’t know of any case law on the question. At least one state, CT, has taken action to prevent extradition of any its residents to such a state. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/12 "2022-06-27T11:20:16Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > but were they sent from somewhere where it _was_ legal ? Yes. Specifically, I’ve purchased cannabis seeds from legal sellers in the UK and Europe. I’ve also purchased antihypertensive meds from Canadia. I’m willfully ignorant regarding the legality of purchasing my meds from Canada. When I asked my doctor if what I was doing was legal, he replied, “do I look like a fucking lawyer?” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2022, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/13 "2022-06-27T11:27:12Z")
This organization operates a service which, for US states where abortion is/is about to be illegal, will arrange a telemedicine appoint with a doctor in Europe who will prescribe the medication that will then be shipped from a pharmacy in India. > **[Aid Access](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aid_Access)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Aid Access is a nonprofit organization that provides access to medication abortion by mail to the United States and worldwide. It describes its work as a harm reduction strategy designed to provide safe access to mifepristone and misoprostol for people susceptible to pregnancy in the United States who may not otherwise have access to abortion or miscarriage management services. People are able to manage their own abortion with remote access to a p... ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2022, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/14 "2022-06-27T13:09:21Z")
Thanks, @Smapti. I shared that info with my kids, emphasizing this part, “Due to shipping from outside of the United States, sometimes it may take three weeks for the pills to arrive.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/15 "2022-06-27T13:18:26Z")
Drugs from Canada or India may or may not be FDA approved, which I have no idea if it makes a difference either way (however keep in mind the hypothetical scenario of heroin shipments, even with a valid prescription from a Canadian doctor), but the “abortion pills” in question are FDA approved, and it’s not even an off-label use. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/16 "2022-06-27T19:32:08Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > even with a valid prescription from a Canadian doctor), This would be the main “gotcha”. Canada, like the USA, restricts certain drugs to be prescribed by a licensed doctor, and Canadian pharmacists can only fill legal prescriptions. That doctor must have consulted with the patient to be sure the drugs are appropriate. What constitutes a valid consultation is a good question. The “not FDA approved” is BS FUD from big pharma - drugs here are just as regulated and real as the USA. Some large pharmacy-by-mail organizations - or at least one - may have sourced questionable products (i.e. from India) but that AFAIK was an isolated incident and no less illegal here than in the USA. Send from out of country vs. interstate is a completely different issue, because it also involves federal customs and import laws, need to declare, etc. As I understand, the US Postal Service is an arm of the federal government and so is beyond the jurisdiction of the states. Presumably the local super-troopers can pounce once the package is delivered, but they have no right to interfere or inspect postal facilities or the mail or require the Post Office to meet certain conditions regarding its activities. I presume if a state were to say that a particular substance could be sold, distributed, mailed, whatever with no need for a doctor or even a pharmacist to be consulted - and it was then mailed - then the receiving state has very little to say about the process. > [@kayaker](#): > > I’ll mention that I’ve received packages in the mail that may have contained things that are not strictly legal. Ah, you’ve been enjoying your Kinder Surprises by mail? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/17 "2022-06-29T16:27:13Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Drugs from Canada or India may or may not be FDA approved, which I have no idea if it makes a difference either way One of the concerns with drugs sent from overseas is that you may not be getting the drugs you ordered. Counterfeit medications are a big problem in some countries. I’d be less worried about something sourced through the links posted here, but going to a website and doing an online consult, without doing some due diligence on the source, is a bit riskier. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/18 "2022-06-29T21:32:55Z")
To reiterate - Canadian medications are the same as American. We just also have more generic drug makers who make lower-cost copies. Plus the government health care systems are the biggest buyers of medication and the provinces are not above negotiating to ensure drug prices are lower. There was a case where one of the internet-only pharmacies was caught in a sting where FBI tried to pretend to be Indian drug manufacturers and sell bargain-basement drugs. This lured to head of the company to the USA to meet, where he was arrested. The businesses that popped up for the exclusive purpose of selling to Americans by mail have pretty much folded because of the enforcement of the doctor consultation rules. No doctor is going to risk their license and a big fine by working with a company selling incorrect medications. How good medications from India or Taiwan are? I have no idea, don’t want to find out. An interesting experience was going on safari in Tanzania, and seeing that the pharmacies there are not hung up on prescriptions, they will sell medications over the counter that would require a prescription here. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/19 "2022-06-29T23:22:06Z")
My understanding is that there is no particular reason that RU-486 couldn’t be sold [over the counter](https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/over-counter-medication-abortion), and I suspect that Biden might push the FDA to look into this. I guess the one thing that I would be worried about if unprescribed abortifacient started being easy to obtain, is the danger of reluctant fathers to be trying to clandestinely dose their partners. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893/20 "2022-06-29T23:25:19Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > How good medications from India or Taiwan are? If you have used generic OTC or Prescription meds in the US, chances are good that you already know how good Indian medications are 😀 [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-29/generic-drug-supply-in-u-s-is-very-reliant-on-india](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-29/generic-drug-supply-in-u-s-is-very-reliant-on-india) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-abortion-pills-work/966893.md?page=2)