What is RU486?
RU 486 is a chemical compound that, taken in pill form, can induce abortion in women up to nine weeks pregnant. This compound gets the first part of its name from the French company, Roussel Uclaf, which first developed the abortion pill back in 1980. The “486” designation is the shortened version of the original “38486” compound number the pill was first assigned in the Roussel Uclaf laboratory.1 RU486 is also known by its generic name, mifepristone, and by Mifegyne, the name under which RU486 is marketed in Europe.
Related Questions
- How is the abortion pill (Mifeprex, Mifepristone, RU486) different from emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pill, day after pill, post coital contraception, day after contraception, Plan B)?
- Why does RU486 fail to prevent implantation despite success in inducing menstruation?
- Is Mis-takeā¢ same as RU486 (Abortion pills)?