The abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol are safe and work well. They usually only cause temporary side effects that go away quickly. People in many parts of the world use them safely on their own. Even though these pills are very safe, most countries still ask for a prescription. This can make it harder for people to find them, and, sometimes, pills are sold in an unsafe way.
For a complete and successful abortion with pills, the recommended regimes are:
a) 1 x 200 mg mifepristone pill + 4 x 200 mcg misoprostol pills; or
b) 12 x 200 mcg misoprostol pills.
Mifepristone and misoprostol can be sold together in combi packs, which includes both medicines, or sold separately. In some countries, you can only get misoprostol.
Finding Mifepristone Locally
Mifepristone is primarily used in abortions or miscarriages. In many countries where abortion is legally restricted, this medication is not officially registered, so it can be difficult to find, even at hospitals, health-care facilities, and pharmacies.
Mifepristone is generally prescribed by a medical practitioner and hard to find over the counter.
You will only need 1 x 200 mg pill to complete a successful abortion. Sometimes, the dosage (mg) of the pills you find will be different, so you will need to recalculate the number of pills. For example, if you only find 100 mg pills, you will need 2 pills to reach the proper dose of 200 mg.
In countries where abortion is legal and mifepristone is approved, you can get the pills through the health-care system. This usually means going to a clinic, hospital, or health center that offers abortion services. In some places, the pills are free or covered by insurance, and in others you have to pay. It depends on the rules in your country.
If you live in a country where abortion is restrictive, you might still find mifepristone through informal or unofficial markets. But be careful, sometimes the pills sold this way are fake or poor quality. It's best to reach out to a trusted local organization that can help you verify the pill before you take it.
Finding Misoprostol Locally
Misoprostol is easier to find locally as it is registered in many countries for stomach ulcers, inducing labor, or treating postpartum hemorrhages.
You can find misoprostol in hospitals, health centers, and pharmacies. In some countries, you can get it at pharmacies without a medical prescription.
If you're using misoprostol alone to induce an abortion, you will need 8-12 pills in total, depending on the estimated age of your pregnancy. When possible, it is preferable to take 12 pills.
These are some of the brand names of misoprostol in different countries: Cytotec, Misotrol, Prostokos, Mizoprotol, Cyrux, Cytil, Misoprolen, Miso-fem, Misogon, Cirotec, Misoplus, Zitotec, Misoprost, Cytolog, Gymiso, and Oxaprost.
In some countries, misoprostol pills can be found in combination with diclofenac. This drug is called Oxaprost, Oxaprost 75, and Arthrotec. We recommend, whenever possible, to use pills that only contain misoprostol. However, if you do get pills with diclofenac, check out our FAQs section or contact our counseling team for guidelines on how to use them.
