Expert: Pat G - 1/18/2011

Question
QUESTION: My gf is getting abortion by pills tomorrow at home, i've heard alot of opinions about how to use the pills:
1- 4 tablets of Misoprostol(cytotec) 200mg sublingual
2- 4 tablets of Misoprostol(cytotec) 200mg vaginally
3- 4 tablets of Misoprostol(cytotec) 200mg, 2 tablets sublingual
and 2 tablets vaginally

Now i'm confused which way is better ?

ANSWER: Hello, SAMI,

PLEASE DO NOT LET HER TAKE THOSE PILLS! They can KILL her! The manufacturer of Cytotec says a pregnant woman should NEVER take those pills. They KNOW that those pills can be deadly for some women.

Those pills stop the hormone that controls a woman's bleeding. The result is that many women bleed to death. Others have bleeding that can occur at any time or place and soak their clothing. This problem can go on for weeks. Those pills also harm the woman's immune system. A woman can get a raging infection that can kill her within hours. It is especially dangerous to take the pills vaginally. But they can also cause this raging infection if taken by mouth.

Your girlfriend doesn't deserve to have to take such a horrible risk. You owe it to her to protect her. If you can, help her travel to another country where she can stay safely until the baby is born.

You also didn't say how far along your girlfriend is. Please tell me, and tell me if you are measuring from her last menstrual period, or from the day you think she conceived. (Has she had a pregnancy test?) There's a chance the pills won't even cause an abortion, because they only work over a very limited time.

I am aware that options are somewhat limited in Saudi Arabia. I do have information that help is available in Saudi Arabia, but unfortunately the web site I normally use is broken. I will have to email them for the information. Please let me know if you would welcome this information, and I will get it for you. Please also let me know what kind of difficulties she is facing that make abortion seem like a good answer. Please get back to me with answers to my questions. Thank you.

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

QUESTION: well, i think she's in her 5th week after intercourse, which is 2 weeks and a half after her last period, what do you recommend, because no way we will keep it, im thinking of a surgical abortion but it might be little early and might not work..

Answer
Hello, SAMI,

From what you're telling me, she's probably not even pregnant. Why would you want to subject your girlfriend to such a horrible risk if she's not even pregnant?

A surgical abortion could not only kill her, but it could kill or harm her future children. It could also cause many other problems. I can give you details if you request them.

Do you have the money to pay for medical complications after either method?

You need to leave her alone. You have a responsibility to keep her safe, and even if she thinks she wants an abortion, you have a responsibility to discourage her, because abortion is NOT safe. Please take care of her. She deserves better. She certainly deserves a boyfriend who will love her enough to protect her. If you can't be that boyfriend, let her go.