Expert: Pat G - 12/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: i had unprotected intercourse about 8 days ago.my menstural cycle is 22 days and is sheduled to be on 24 of this month.i fear that i may get pregnant and is under stress due to this.i dont want the baby now.shuld i use mifepristone and misoprostol(medabon).is it safe to use.will i have to go under an operation for abortion .kindly advise

ANSWER: Hi, Reena,

It's possible that you were fertile at the time you had intercourse. Please be aware, however, that stress can also delay your period, so just because you don't get your period on time doesn't necessarily mean you are pregnant. You can test about a week after you expect your period. If the test is negative, you can try again in another week. If it is positive, ask a doctor to check your hormones. It's always possible you will have a miscarriage anyway. About 1/4 of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Obviously, if you are going to have a miscarriage anyway, there is no point in taking any risk. And the last thing you should do is take such powerful medications just in case!

Misoprostol can kill you. Please don't take it! The manufacturer says that a pregnant woman should never use it. Women are dying in India after taking it; they are bleeding to death. I have heard from a few of them, and I don't even know if they are still alive. Mifepristone is a steroid, and can do very bad things to your hormones. Not only that, but Cipla, which markets a kit, has given instructions that can cause a woman to develop a fatal infection. This can kill within hours. They are being totally irresponsible, but they don't care. When I emailed them, they ignored me. Not only that, but many times, this type of abortion doesn't work anyway. A surgical abortion is also dangerous, and it can also kill you. Not only that, but a surgical abortion can cause serious birth defects in your future children. And the emotional state of a woman who has an abortion can be horrible. I know, because I went through some of that myself. A woman is six times as likely to commit suicide in the year after an abortion than after she gives birth. And a woman can be killed in the year after abortion through homicide, accident, drug abuse, or alcoholism. A woman can develop eating disorders or perform self abuse.

I can give you lots of details if you want. Entire books have been written about the dangers, and I have some of them.

What part of India are you in? I may be able to find help for you. If you aren't ready to raise a baby, you can choose adoption. But if there are problems that can be overcome and then you would be OK with having a baby, they can also help with those. They can provide counseling.

Please don't do this. You deserve better. I will be here for you. Please keep in touch.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you for your response!!!...but i dont want to concieve now...Can you please help me with the safe abortion or some other medicine instesd of medabon

Answer
Hello, Reena,

If you have conceived, then the question of not wanting to conceive is beside the point. If you did not conceive, you have nothing to worry about. In other words, at this point, you are either pregnant or you are not. There is no such thing as a safe abortion, nor is there any medicine that would be safe to take that would produce abortion. Abortion is always dangerous. Our bodies were designed to protect our children, so the only way we can have an abortion is for someone to harm us in some way.

It can be serious; it can be deadly.

Please realize that you are asking me to prescribe. In other words, you are asking me to practice medicine without a license. I could get into a lot of trouble if I did that. Also, you are asking me to help you hurt yourself, and I won't do that, either.

If it does turn out you are pregnant, you can ask a doctor to determine whether your pregnancy is healthy, or whether you are likely to have a miscarriage. Please find a doctor who won't hurt you by doing an abortion, or providing the means. You need to see someone you can trust. What part of India are you in?

What kind of circumstances are you in that makes abortion seem like a good idea? Perhaps I can help with these.

You're welcome. Please take care, and stay safe.