Abortion due to drugs is common in the United States. Here's what you need to know:

In the United States, drug abortion has become the preferred method even before the Supreme Court overthrowsRoev. WadeThis includes taking prescription drugs at home or at home for two days. clinic.

The abortion procedure is an invasive medical technique that emptys the uterus. It does not include surgery, but it is sometimes called an abortion.

Read more: US doctors have seen a surge in vasectomy after the Roe v. Wade case: Report Abortion tablets with

include the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol. Demand for pills is expected to increase as more states seek restrictions on abortion.

Drug action

Take mifepristone first and swallow it in your mouth. The drug dilates the cervix and blocks the effects of progesterone, a hormone needed to maintain pregnancy.

Misoprostol, a drug that is also used to treat gastric ulcers, is taken 24-48 hours later. The pill is designed to dissolve when placed between the gums and teeth or in the vagina. The uterus cramps and contracts, causing bleeding and drainage of pregnant tissue.

How to use the drug

The abortion drug is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy.

Pills may be taken at the clinic or clinic. In this case, the patient may have an ultrasound or clinical examination in advance. Some providers also provide tablets through telemedicine visits and then mail the drug to the patient.

Recently, pill use has increased. Year. As of 2020, it will account for 54% of all abortions in the United States, according to preliminary data from the Guttmacher Institute. A final quote for the group is scheduled for later this year.

Side effects

Research and real evidence When taken together, the pill is safe and up to 99% effective. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Bleeding is normal. Very severe bleeding_1 It is rare to soak more than one pad for more than 2 hours in an hour, but it requires medical attention.

A New York obstetrician / gynecologist and pregnancy abortion specialist who should immediately use a pregnancy test to determine if a drug-induced abortion was successful due to pregnancy hormones. Claims not. It may remain in the body for several weeks. Bleeding with blood clots, including light-colored tissue, is a sign of success, she said.

Serious complications are extremely rare. According to the Food and Drug Administration, more than 3.7 million US women have used mifepristone since it was approved more than 20 years ago. The agency has received 26 reports of the death of a woman taking the drug, including two, including an ectopic pregnancy that grows outside the womb.

Specific patients, such as those with suspected ectopic pregnancy or those with an intrauterine device. This drug is not recommended for.

Trend Story

Drug Abortion Costs

Costs There are various locations, but they are similar to abortion procedures and can cost more than $ 500 in total. Health insurance covers a wide range, with some plans to make tablets free or low cost, while others do not cover them at all.

Mifepristone is branded under the Mifeprex brand and misoprostol is marketed under the Cytotec brand, but both pills are available as generics.

Federal Regulations

FDA approves mifepristone to end pregnancy in 2000 when used with misoprostol did. At that time, it imposed some restrictions on the method of prescribing and dispensing medicines.

In December, the agency lifted the biggest restrictions. It is a requirement that the patient take the medicine directly. The FDA has shown that scientific reviews of drug use, including during a COVID-19 pandemic, show that women can safely receive medicines by mail after online consultation without increasing side effects or complications. Said.

This decision is a long-sought change for medical professional groups and abortion advocates, a national pill. Can now be mailed.

Still, due to state law patchwork that covers abortion, especially pills, millions of women will have difficulty accessing pills. About half of the states in the United States are expected to ban or significantly limit abortion.

Legal Conflict

Legal experts go to Pill to challenge test cases to states by supporters of abortion rights Foreseeing a long-standing legal battle over access to the restriction.

There is little certainty as to which side is dominant, but strong discussion and precedent on both sides. Experts point out that there is.

The Biden administration's Justice Department has already shown plans to challenge state restrictions on drug abortion. Federal lawyers may also include outside parties, such as abortion groups such as Planned Parenthood and companies that manufacture pills.

The main argument against pill restrictions is the long-standing principle that federal law, including the FDA's decision, takes precedence over state law. In fact, few states have tried to ban FDA-approved drugs altogether because of past decisions in favor of the FDA.

Nevertheless, states where abortion is totally banned may be interpreted as banning abortion drugs. Many laws do not distinguish between abortion procedures and drug-induced abortions.

"In the short term, banning abortions also includes drug abortions. Greer Donley, a professor of reproductive healthcare at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, said that it would be banned.

State legislation on pills

Even if you succeed in challenging the comprehensive ban, more than 30 states have legislation that specifically restricts access to abortion pills, for example, 19 states. , Clinicians must be physically present when administering the drug.

These laws can withstand court objections. The state states doctors, pharmacists, and other medical providers. People have long had authority over how they practice medical care.

The state also sets rules for remote medical counseling used to prescribe drugs. General This means that state health care providers with restrictions on abortion medications may face penalties such as fines and suspension of licenses if they try to send the medication by mail. {

Read more: US states after low V. Wade's World

Women are already crossing state boundaries and moving to places with easy access to abortion drugs. That trend is expected to increase.

Meanwhile, some women take their medications through online pharmacies in Canada and abroad, often with remote medical consultations from foreign doctors. This practice is technically illegal, but it is essentially unenforced, and supporters believe that as more states ban abortion, women will increasingly choose this method.

"Anti-abortion countries will do everything they can to limit drug-induced abortion, but in reality people are through emails from international pharmacies. I have had access to abortion, "Don Lee said.

Year of Uncertainty

Donley has several years of proceedings based on various legal theories before a clear decision is made. I expect it to continue.

One important issue is when and how the Supreme Court of the State decides when taking up these proceedings. Is it to do? The Supreme Court denied the constitutional right to abortion, but conservative judges also generally postponed the FDA's dominance over drug decisions.

© 2022 TheCanadian Press