Medical Termination of Pregnancy
Medical termination of pregnancy is the use of medicines, rather than surgery, to end a pregnancy in its early weeks. The approach has become the more common method globally and is widely used across South and Southeast Asia.
Medicine used to treat Medical Termination of Pregnancy
How the medicines work
The standard regimen combines two agents. Mifepristone blocks the hormone that sustains the pregnancy; misoprostol is taken one to two days later and causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. Misoprostol is also used alone in settings where mifepristone is unavailable. Both medicines have been on the WHO essential medicines list for many years.
What to expect
Cramping and bleeding begin within a few hours of taking misoprostol and typically peak in the first four to six hours. Lighter bleeding can continue for one to three weeks. A follow-up check, usually by ultrasound or a blood test, confirms that the process is complete.
Seek urgent medical attention for soaking more than two thick pads per hour for two or more consecutive hours, fever above 38 C lasting more than 24 hours, or severe pain not relieved by standard analgesics.