How to Use Abortion Pills

Abortion pill

The abortion pill is possible up to a pregnancy of 9 weeks from the first day of the last menstruation. The abortion pill is a combination of 2 different types of tablets that you take on different days, after which you have a miscarriage. The doctor will decide whether you are eligible for the abortion pill. Conditions that must in any case be met:

During the second part of the home treatment, an adult should be with you for the first 24 hours who are aware of what you are doing. You stay at home that day and you cannot take care of small children that day. Also, make sure you have transportation available in case you unexpectedly need to go to the clinic or doctor.
You, or the person who is with you, must be able to make yourself understood in Dutch or English.
In the VMC, by means of a finger prick determines whether you have anemia. If this so-called Hb value is too low, then abortion by means of an abortion pill is not possible.

Part 1

The first part of the treatment takes place in the clinic. The doctor will give you 1 tablet of mifepristone. You take this with some water. This tablet blocks the hormone that keeps the pregnancy going so that the pregnancy stops. Most women hardly notice this tablet themselves. Sometimes you can get some vaginal bleeding and cramps after this.

You should always continue with Part 2 of the treatment.

Part 2

You do the second part of the treatment at home. You will receive 4 tablets of Misoprostol from us. You insert this into your vagina at home 36 to 48 hours after your visit to the clinic, just like a tampon. These tablets cause your uterus to contract and the amniotic sac is expelled. You will then have a miscarriage.

First you go to the toilet. And then you put the 4 tablets high in your vagina, for example. We advise you to take the painkiller ibuprofen after insertion. If necessary, you can supplement this further with paracetamol. After inserting the tablets, lie there for half an hour to an hour, so that the tablets can take effect.

In 80% of cases, the amniotic sac is expelled within 4-6 hours. This is accompanied by a lot of blood loss (usually also with clots), abdominal cramps and sometimes nausea. The amniotic sac looks like a membranous, whitish cotton ball.

The blood loss can be a lot that day. Do not take a hot shower this first day. The combination of blood loss and heat can make you feel unwell. Remains of the tablets may come out with the blood loss. That’s okay, it’s just filler. The active substance is absorbed within an hour.

The blood loss can be a few days more than during normal menstruation. After that it varies greatly in duration: from a few days to (sometimes) the next menstruation.

We advise not to have vaginal sex, to use tampons and not to swim or bathe for the first 7 to 10 days after the treatment (showering is allowed).

It is useful to have ibuprofen and acetaminophen at home.

When should you notify the clinic?

If the blood loss is so severe on the first day that it makes you feel unwell
In case of heavy blood loss (4 sanitary towels per hour) for more than one day
With persistent, severe pain that does not respond to the aforementioned pain relief
In case of fever (38.5 degrees or higher) and feeling sick that lasts longer than one day

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