First Trimester Medication Abortion (the abortion pill)

What to Expect:

*Offered to patients –  6 weeks 0 days maximum*

Due to Florida’s 24-hour waiting period from the time of consent with the physician to the time of abortion, all patients will be required to have two appointments.

Explanation

After completing the preliminary workup process, patients will consult with the physician, who will determine by ultrasound, the age and location of the pregnancy. If the patient is eligible for the medication abortion, they will be given the first pill by the physician in person at their second appointment.

This medication blocks the action of progesterone, a hormone needed to sustain a developing pregnancy. This causes the uterine lining to thin and the pregnancy to detach from the uterine wall.

The second medication will be given to the patient to take home. The physician will instruct the patient on how and when to use this medication. The second medication causes the uterus to contract, which aids in expelling the pregnancy.

Completing the Medical Abortion at Home

On the morning you choose to start the second medication (AT LEAST twenty-four (24) hours after taking the 1st medication by mouth, NOT EXCEEDING seventy-two (72) hours after taking the 1st medication by mouth) do the following:

1. Take (1) tablet of nausea medication and take (1) tablet of pain medication.
2.Using your finger, insert (2) tablets into your vagina as far back as possible. While laying down you will then place (1) tablet in each side of your cheeks (buccally). That will be (2) tablets total in your mouth. Let those (2) oral tablets dissolve in your cheeks for at least 30 minutes before you swallow the medication.
3. You have to remain laying down for at least TWO hours after placing the tablets vaginally so they can fully absorb. This is extremely important to the process.

For most women bleeding and cramping will begin anywhere from thirty (30) minutes to four (4) hours after you insert/swallow the tablets. On average, the heavy cramping, bleeding, and passing of blood clots, will generally last between twenty-four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours, then will taper off like a period over the next two weeks.

• Do not use a tampon
• Please use Maxi Pads or something else that would not require to be inside the vagina
• We recommend you get a heating pad as this helps with cramping pain
• Continue to take the nausea and pain medication as instructed on the bottles

We are a proud member of the National Abortion Federation (“NAF”), an association of medical professionals who provide assistance to women seeking abortions including educational materials and sometimes financial assistance to women that qualify. If you are interested in financial assistance, please ask for our patient funding coordinators contact information when you schedule your appointment with us.