Expert: Pat G - 5/7/2010

Question
I am less than 8 weeks pregnant, actually 3 weeks. I by mistake took misoprostol tablet first and then took mifepristone after 30 minutes.
Does that cause a problem? Or would i still undergo the abortion? What should I do now?

Its been more than an hour now, but I am feeling nothing. Please respond, I am totally confused with no answers

Answer
G'day, Pallavi,

Someone probably told you, or you read someplace, that pill abortions are simple and easy. They're not. They can cause all kinds of problems. Your situation is a very good illustration of why a person should not take powerful and toxic drugs without medical supervision. Powerful and toxic drugs should not be given unless there is a medical condition so serious that not doing anything is likely to cause worse problems than taking the risk of taking the drugs. A normal pregnancy doesn't come close to being such a condition. No ethical doctor would EVER have a pregnant woman take these drugs.

The manufacturer of misoprostol has written that a pregnant woman should NEVER take it. This is because it can kill a woman in one of several different ways. It's actually a medication for ulcers. Misoprostol can cause a woman to bleed to death. It can also cause her uterus to rupture. And if taken in one particular way, it can cause her to develop toxic shock syndrome. This can kill within hours.

How did you take the misoprostol? Are you 3 weeks from the probable date of conception, or from your last menstrual period?

The fact that the pills didn't do anything for an hour doesn't surprise me. Sometimes they don't do anything for hours or days. However, it isn't necessarily likely that they will cause an abortion. They might cause you to experience pain and heavy bleeding, though. You really should have someone with you just in case you develop a complication.

What you should do now is nothing. Don't do anything. Go to a doctor as soon as you can. Let him know what you have done. You need a decent doctor who won't harm you. In the meantime, if you develop any problems, please write to me right away. If you start to hemorrhage (which can happen), get to an emergency room right away. Have someone take you.

You can find a good doctor by finding an organization in your area which helps pregnant women. They can recommend a doctor who will take good care of you. They also offer other services and different kinds of help. To find an organization near you, please go to this web site:

http://www.heartbeatinternational.org/connections/worldwide-directory

Please take care of yourself, and don't take any more toxic drugs. Abortion is dangerous no matter how it is done, and can kill you, seriously disable you, or harm your future children. Let me know how things turn out, and feel free to ask other questions. Stay safe!