Pill option to surgical abortion

by Rebecca Cooper
Staff Writer

Mifepristone, also known as RU-486 or the abortion pill, has been available in the United States for over two years, but has increased in sales in the last eight months.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the so-called abortion pill on Sept. 28, 2000 after more than a decade of debate. Because of continued debate from insurance companies, physicians, women's rights advocates and politicians, Mifepristone was not made available until two months later, on Nov. 20, 2000.

Since the drug's introduction two years ago, more than 100,000 women in the United States have used Mifeprex, the brand name of mifepristone available in the United States, and about one million women worldwide have had medical abortions using Mifepristone since RU-486 was approved for usage in France in 1988.

Mifeprex blocks the hormone progesterone, which the body needs to sustain pregnancy, according to Family Planning Associates Medical Group in Montclair. The cervix opens and bleeding begins. A few days later the patient receives another pill that causes the uterus to empty.

"It's another option for women, and we definitely support anything we can do to give women more options," said Laura Morgan, director of communications and marketing at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

"Some women prefer [RU-486] because it's much more private and not as invasive as surgery. It's an extremely safe option, and they're well aware of the possible side effects and well informed before making their decision."

Mifepristone provides women with a medical alternative to the traditional surgical abortions. The abortion pill requires no surgery and no anesthesia, but is different from birth control or emergency contraception also known as the morning after pill.

The procedure includes medical care, ultrasounds, office visits and the necessary pills. Patients who go to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles offices for abortions will be given emergency contraception through a program that will start next month, Morgan said.

Emergency contraception is most effective in preventing pregnancy during the first 72 hours after unprotected sex.

"Emergency contraception keeps pregnancy from occurring, and since it's introduction, it has helped lower the number of abortions performed," Morgan said. "We hope offering it through this program will lower the instance of abortions and repeat abortions we see. "

In the United States, early medical abortion using Mifepristone is provided through a number of health care providers during the first seven weeks of pregnancy.

Medical Clinics, such as Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation, hospitals and private providers in 47 states currently offer Mifeprex to patients, according to the web site www.earlyoptionpill.com.