The Abortion Pill Isn't Emergency Contraception

We don't see a lot about abortion with pills in movies or tv. Why not? Maybe it's because a person drinking a glass of water and sitting on the couch isn't all that interesting to watch. Or maybe it's because viewers would be uncomfortable watching that person getting up from the couch now and then to change maxi pads. Whatever the reason, if all you knew about abortion with pills was what you saw on the screen, you probably wouldn't realize that medication abortions make up a growing proportion of all abortions performed in the US—more than half in some states. On the other hand, you might think it was possible to mix an abortion pill into someone's morning smoothie and end their pregnancy without their awareness or consent.

You would be wrong, and not just because that would make you a bad person. Mostly, you would be wrong because abortion with pills doesn't work that way.

It's no surprise if you're confused. There's a lot of confusion about the difference between emergency contraception (EC) and the abortion pill, partly because anti-abortion zealots want you to believe that they're the same thing. But they aren't. Not at all. Here's the difference:

EC prevents pregnancy. It's a single drug that you take the morning after unprotected sex, or at least within 72 hours. EC does not end an existing pregnancy.

The abortion pill ends a pregnancy of up to 10 weeks. It's actually two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol (although it's possible to use mifepristone alone), which have to be taken in specific doses over the course of several hours. It does not prevent pregnancy, but if you take it when you aren't actually pregnant, it won't do you any permanent harm, although you might have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or a low fever for a day.

If you want accurate, up-to-date information about how medication abortion actually works and how to use the abortion pill safely, visit us at AbortionPillInfo.com. We're happy to answer all your questions!