Just like with other kinds of medical care, the doctor, nurse, or midwife prescribing the medication may do things a little differently when it comes to abortion. Some telehealth providers listed on Ineedana.com may use a slightly different misoprostol regimen based on their professional preference. Misoprostol is safe and effective, knowing how it works may help you feel more prepared and informed so let’s get into it.

I was given the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol from a telehealth provider, but the misoprostol instructions are different from what I previously used or read about. What should I do?

Some telehealth providers recommend taking more doses of misoprostol to help ensure the uterus fully empties out. Some people only have a small amount of bleeding after the first set of misoprostol so taking more misoprostol may help people feel more sure the process worked. Taking extra doses of misoprostol is not dangerous and it is safe to follow the instructions that your provider recommends. Misoprostol can have side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, fever, shaking.

One thing that will always stay the same is when mifepristone is used, it’s always taken as a single pill that’s swallowed 24-48 hours before the misoprostol.

A common regimen that is safe and effective and recommended by the World Health Organization:

• For someone less than 12 weeks from their last menstrual period (LMP) swallow one 200mg mifepristone pill, then 24 hours later let 4 misoprostol tablets (800mcg) sit under the tongue, in the cheek, or in the vagina for 30 minutes.
• For someone between 9-12 weeks from their LMP and has more misoprostol, they should then take 4 more misoprostol the same way 3 hours later. Learn more about the medications and what to expect when someone is over 12 weeks pregnant.

You can see the regimen for taking pills based on how many weeks someone is on the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline.

Misoprostol is safe and all of the slightly different regimens from trusted providers listed on Ineedana.com are effective over 90% of the time. Bleeding and passing clots are normal side effects, but it’s a good idea to take all doses of misoprostol your provider recommends even if you start bleeding after the first dose or taking the mifepristone!

Everyone’s body reacts differently to abortion medication—some people bleed more, some less; some pass one large clot, others pass several smaller ones. All of that is normal. It is recommended to take a urine pregnancy test 4-5 weeks after taking the medication to make sure it’s negative.

• Learn more about what to expect and how to know if the pills worked.
• Miscarriages and medication abortions look the same, learn about what's normal and what’s a potential emergency.

Have more questions?

Call, text, or Signal message Reprocare at (833) 226-7821.

Call or text the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline at (833) 246-2632 to talk to a clinician.

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