The abortion pill, widely used but threatened in the US

the pill abortive has become a new battleground in USA among those who defend and reject the right to terminate a pregnancy, after the Supreme Court authorized each state to legislate in this regard.

Approved for more than 20 years, this widely used method is now under threat.

In what proportion is it used?

According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than half of abortions (53%) in the United States were given with medication.

This is a lower figure than that of some European countries, such as France, where this method has been authorized since 1988 and medical abortions represented around 70% of voluntary interruptions of pregnancy in 2020.

How does the abortion pill work?

The abortion pill is different from the “morning after pill”which is taken hours after a risky relationship, while the abortion is taken once the pregnancy is confirmed, to terminate the pregnancy.

The method, authorized in the United States as well as in many countries, uses two drugs. The first is mifepristone (O RU 486), which slows the development of pregnancy by acting on a hormone called progesterone. The second, misoprostol, is taken one to two days later and triggers contractions and bleeding.

So women abort at home or in the place they want, not in a health center.

What framework is there in the US?

In the United States, the method that uses mifepristone and misoprostol has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2000.

It can be used up to 10 weeks after the last period. Furthermore, women who want to terminate the pregnancy must resort to aspiration abortion.

What effectiveness and what risks?

Mifepristone and misoprostol abortions are very safe and effective, experts say.

Pregnancies stop in more than 95% of cases, according to studies.

There are few complications (excessive blood flow, fever, infections, allergic reactions) that require subsequent consultations.

Another important point: the pills do not work in case of ectopic pregnancy (outside the uterus, 2% of pregnancies). An ectopic pregnancy can be detected thanks to an ultrasound and must be treated, since it can be fatal.

Where in the United States is it available?

Since last summer, a dozen US states have outlawed abortion, following a Supreme Court decision authorizing them to legislate on the matter. In those states, medical abortions are also prohibited.

Despite this ban, organizations have mobilized to deliver abortion pills to women in these states, from abroad, or from other US states. The scope of these alternatives is difficult to assess.

In states where abortion is legal, the FDA recently eased restrictions on mifepristone, allowing it to be mailed once prescribed, or sold directly to a pharmacy like any other medication (previously it was delivered only to specialized centers). ).

But even in those states, a lawsuit threatens to challenge the FDA’s approval. This complaint was filed in Amarillo, Texas, where the only federal judge known to be hostile to abortion.

The judge is expected to hear the positions of the parties on Wednesday and can issue his decision immediately.

Source: AFP