Can the medicines used for medication abortion also be used for emergency contraception?
EC will not induce an abortion in a woman who is already pregnant, nor will it affect the developing pre-embryo or embryo (Van Look & Stewart, 1998). Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy and helps prevent the need for abortion. In fact, an estimated 43 percent of the decrease in U.S. abortions between 19942000 can be attributed to the availability of emergency contraception (AGI, 2003). Although some studies show that mifepristone could be used in very low doses to reduce the risk of pregnancy as a method of emergency contraception within five days of unprotected intercourse, mifepristone is not approved for emegency contraceptive use in the United States at this time (Ho et al., 2002; TFPMFR, 1999).
Related Questions
- I have used abortion medicines and now want to use contraception to prevent another unintended pregnancy, which contraceptive methods can I use?
- Is there a difference between medication abortion and emergency contraception (also known as the morning after pill)?
- Can the medicines used for medication abortion also be used for emergency contraception?
