Can I have an abortion using only Misoprostol?

The recommended medicines for medical abortion are Mifepristone followed by Misoprostol. However, Misoprostol can cause a miscarriage on its own.

 

When using Misoprostol alone, there is a higher risk of unsuccessful abortion (ie: the pregnancy continuing) and the side effects tend to be more severe than when using a combination of Mifepristone and Misoprostol.

 

An abortion with only Misoprostol is carried out as follows:

• Misoprostol is taken at a dose of 800mcg. This usually means four Misoprostol 200mcg tablets are used at once. Misoprostol tablets are placed under the tongue for 30 minutes, where they dissolve. Misoprostol can also be placed inside the vagina. Misoprostol should be moistened before being placed in the vagina.
• After three hours, another dose of Misoprostol 800mcg is taken.
• After another three hours, another dose of Misoprostol 800mcg is taken. More doses of Misoprostol may be taken if needed until the abortion starts.
• In total, at least 12 tablets of Misoprostol 200mcg are needed for a Misoprostol-only abortion. The success rate of a Misoprostol-only abortion is approximately 84%. Bleeding should start within 7 hours after taking the first dose of Misoprostol. If there is little or no bleeding by 72 hours, it means the abortion was not successful.