An induced abortion is the planned expulsion of the fetus from a woman’s uterus in order to terminate a pregnancy. An estimated 1.3 million women in the United States elect to have an abortion every year, reports the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. An abortion can be performed via surgical procedures or through the ingestion of certain medications, called a medically induced abortion. Understanding which drugs can be used to induce an abortion enables patients and physicians to choose the best medication for the procedure.
Misoprostol
Misoprostol can be used to terminate a pregnancy in its early stages, according to MedlinePlus, a National Institutes of Health website. The drug is typically combined with other abortion-inducing medications to ensure a complete abortion. Misoprostol is primarily marketed for the treatment and prevention of ulcers caused by certain medications. However, it has proven effective in inducing abortions. The drug causes forceful contractions of the muscles in the uterus, which aid in the expulsion of the fetus. Patients may experience stomach cramps, stomach pain and vomiting as the drug takes effect.
Mifepristone
Mifepristone, when combined with misoprostol, can be used in an induced abortion procedure. Mifepristone is commonly used to end pregnancies that are less than 49 days from conception, states MayoClinic.com. This drug induces abortions by inhibiting the production of hormones necessary for the survival of the fetus. Without the proper hormones, the uterus will be unable to support the pregnancy, and the fetus is unable to stay attached to the uterine wall. As the fetus detaches from the wall, it begins to die and then is expelled from the womb. Patients will develop a heavy menstrual flow as the abortion occurs.
Methotrexate
Methotrexate only targets cells that are rapidly reproducing within the body. The drug is often used to treat cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. In an induced abortion procedure, methotrexate causes the placenta and fetus to detach from the lining of the uterus. The medication targets the rapidly growing cells that attach the fetus to the outer wall of the organ. Without this attachment, the fetus is more easily expelled.
Methotrexate may be added to misoprostol to induce an abortion. This combination of drugs is called MTX, according to the American Pregnancy Association. In the MTX regimen, methotrexate is given to begin the procedure, and then misoprostol is administered five to seven days later to complete the abortion. Abortion typically occurs within the first few hours to days after the completion of the drug regimen.
