Our never-ending #BlackProtest
Read stories from Polish women on reproductive rights in the book #MyBlackProtest and discover the creation of a worldwide feminist movement.
Mifepristone and misoprostol are both abortion pills that can be found under many brand names worldwide. We hope this guide on the different pill brands will tell you everything you need to know; however, if you have additional questions, please reach out to one of our counselors directly by email or live chat; we will happily support you.
ABORTION PILLS
There are two types of abortion pills and each has a different mechanism of action. Mifepristone blocks the hormone needed for a pregnancy to grow, while misoprostol works by relaxing and opening the cervix (the opening to the uterus), causing the uterus to contract, which expels the pregnancy. Both the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol and misoprostol-only are effective options. However, if available and affordable, the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is more effective. There are many different brands of abortion pills on the market. Their availability is often determined by where you live.
QUALITY OF PILLS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Some abortion pill brands come as combination packs that include both mifepristone and misoprostol, while others offer the medicines separately. safe2choose has detailed guidelines on how to safely use abortion pills, covering both the combined regimen and using misoprostol alone. A recent study showed that only about 10% of misoprostol brands and 25% of combination packs in 44 countries meet international quality standards, such as WHO Prequalification (WHO‑PQ) or Stringent Regulatory Authority (SRA) approval. This means that even though many pills are registered, getting reliable and effective medication can still be difficult. Some misoprostol brands may not have the right amount of active ingredient or lose strength if not stored properly. Brands that are approved by trusted regulators, like Medabon, Mariprist, or Mifegyne, are usually better, more consistent quality.
Mifepristone is generally more stable, but misoprostol is sensitive to heat and moisture, which can affect how well it works. That’s why it’s important to get pills from trusted sources and keep them in their original sealed packaging, away from humidity. Explore more about abortion pills available in your country or how to find abortion pills both online and offline. You can contact our team for more support whenever you need it, we're here for you!
ABORTION PILL BRANDS
There are over 78 different abortion pill brands worldwide. The popularity of the abortion pill brands depends on the region. For example, Cytotec is the most popular brand worldwide. However, the Unwanted-Kit is the most popular brand in India. Here are guides to the most popular abortion pill brands below:
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists both mifepristone and misoprostol as essential medicines [7] because they are safe and effective to end a pregnancy.
Access to these medicines has improved over the last decade, but there are still big gaps. A recent review of 44 low‑ and middle‑income countries [10] found that misoprostol‑only products are widely available, while mifepristone and combi‑packs (a box that contains both medicines in the correct amounts) are harder to find. Quality is another concern. Even when abortion pills are available, both formal and informal markets don’t always guarantee safe and reliable medicine. This puts people’s health at risk. Prices for abortion pills also vary a lot depending on the region. In Latin America and Africa, prices tend to be high, and it can be harder to find quality pills. In countries with strict abortion laws, many people rely on informal markets where pills can be more expensive and sometimes fake. In contrast, in Asia, especially in countries like India, abortion pills are generally more affordable and reliable.
In Africa, misoprostol is the most widely available abortion pill, often sold under multiple brands in both formal and informal markets. Registered combi‑packs with mifepristone are available in some countries but are less common and unevenly distributed.
| Cytotec (Pfizer) | Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Zambia |
| Miso‑Fem | Bolivia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Laos, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone |
| Misoclear | Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Miso‑Kare | India, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda |
| Avertiso | Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe |
| Taneciprol | Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico |
| Misoprostol (Naari) | Chile, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Peru, Tanzania, South Sudan |
| Prostokos | Brazil |
| Misotrol | Chile and Latin America |
| Misofar | Albania, Angola, Repub. of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guinea, Honduras, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Mozambique, Spain |
| Oxaprost® | Argentina |
| Unwanted- Kit (Mankind Pharma) | India | |
| MA Kare | Uganda, Kenya | |
| Medabon (Sun Pharma): | Argentina, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Moldova, Mozambique, North Macedonia, Romania, South Africa, Sudan, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Zambia | |
| China Zizhu co‑pack: | Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Zimbabwe | |
| Divabo | Cambodia, Uganda, Zambia | |
| Mariprist | Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Mediprist | Uganda |
| Mifepristone LinePharma | Bolivia, Colombia |
| Mifetril | Uganda |
| Mifegest | India |
Do you want information on the brands available in your country? Visit MedAb.org for more country-specific information or get in touch with our counselors.
CONTACT AND SUPPORT
We offer evidence-based information on safe abortion. Our free counseling service is safe, confidential, convenient, and free of judgement. We are waiting for your message!
By the safe2choose team and supporting experts at carafem, based on the 2022 Abortion Care Guideline by the WHO, the 2023 Clinical Updates in Reproductive Health by Ipas, and the 2024 Clinical Policy Guidelines for Abortion Care by NAF.
safe2choose is supported by a Medical Advisory Board formed by leading experts in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
carafem provides convenient and professional abortion care and family planning so people can control the number and spacing of their children.
Ipas is an international organization focused on expanding access to safe abortion and contraceptive care.
WHO – the World Health Organization – is a specialized United Nations agency responsible for international public health.
NAF – the National Abortion Federation – is a professional association in the USA supporting safe, evidence-based abortion care and reproductive rights.
[1] "Abortion care guideline." World Health Organization, 2022, srhr.org/abortioncare/.
[2] Jackson, E. "Clinical Updates in Reproductive Health." Ipas, 2023, www.ipas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ipas-Clinical-Updates-in-Reproductive-Health-CURHE23b.pdf.
[3]"Clinical Policy Guidelines." National Abortion Federation, 2024, prochoice.org/providers/quality-standards/.
[4] Platais, I., et al. "Prospective study of home use of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion up to 10 weeks of pregnancy in Kazakhstan." International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2016;134(3): 268–271, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Prospective+study+of+home+use+of+mifepristone+and+misoprostol+for+medical+abortion+up+to+10+weeks+of+pregnancy+in+Kazakhstan. Accessed May 2025.
[5] Raymond, E. G., Harrison, M. S., & Weaver, M. A. ""Efficacy of Misoprostol Alone for First-Trimester Medical Abortion: A Systematic Review."" Gynuity Health Projects, 2019, gynuity.org/resources/efficacy-of-misoprostol-alone-for-first-trimester-medical-abortion-a-systematic-review. Accessed May 2025.
[6] Consorcio Latinoamericano Contra el Aborto Inseguro (CLACAI). Mifepristona y misoprostol en seis países de América Latina: procesos de registro y disponibilidad. Enero 2017, Lima, Perú. Retrieved from: https://clacaidigital.info/bitstream/handle/123456789/1000/Mifepristona%20y%20misoprostol%20en%20seis%20paises%20de%20America%20Latina.%20CLACAI%202017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
[7] WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines. The Selection and Use of Essential Medicines 2023: Executive Summary of the Report of the 24th WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines. World Health Organization, 2023, who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MHP-HPS-EML-2023.01 Accessed Aug. 2025.
[8] Sedgh, G., & Taqi, I. Mifepristone for Abortion in a Global Context: Safe, Effective and Approved in Nearly 100 Countries. Guttmacher Institute, 2023, guttmacher.org/2023/07/mifepristone-abortion-global-context-safe-effective-and-approved-nearly-100-countries. Accessed Aug. 2025.
[9] MedAb.org. Research and Analysis. MedAb, n.d., medab.org/research-analysis. Accessed Aug. 2025.
[10] Durocher, J., Kilfedder, C., Frye, L. J., Winikoff, B., & Srinivasan, K. A Descriptive Analysis of Medical Abortion Commodity Availability and Pricing at Retail Outlets in 44 Countries Across Four Regions Globally. Taylor & Francis Online, 2021, tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26410397.2021.1982460. Accessed Aug. 2025.
[11] IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation). Abortion Commodities Database. IPPF Medical Abortion Commodities Database, n.d., medab.org/search. Accessed Aug. 2025.