How to safely self-manage an abortion using pills
Abortion with pills is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy. It allows a woman to manage as much of the abortion process as she wants on her own, with or without the involvement of a health provider. On this page is reliable, evidence-based information about how to safely self-manage an abortion using pills.
Abortion with pills uses a combination of the medications mifepristone and misoprostol, which work together to empty the uterus by starting a process similar to a miscarriage. When used in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, this method is up to 98.5% effective. And when mifepristone is not available, misoprostol is safe to use alone and still very effective. With accurate information, women will know what to expect when having an abortion with pills and when it may be necessary to seek medical attention.
Self-management of abortion with pills is on the rise globally due to increasing availability of abortion pills and because this method meets women’s need for abortion on their own terms. Quite literally, abortion with pills puts power in women’s hands—and gives them control over their own bodies and reproductive choices.
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Mina’s Story
French narrator: Khady Sylla
Ipas gratefully acknowledges the support of Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development in the production of this video.
How do I take abortion pills?
An abortion with pills uses a combination of the medications mifepristone and misoprostol. If mifepristone is not available, misoprostol can also be used alone. Without mifepristone, you will need to take more misoprostol pills, the process tends to be longer and you may experience more side effects.
Here are complete instructions, based on what pills you have. For more details on how to have an abortion with pills, see our full guide.
How to buy abortion pills that are safe and effective
Abortion with pills is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy, but you must use the right medications. There are many counterfeit and poor-quality abortion pills available. Here are 10 common questions and answers to help you find the right pills.
More information
Reliable, evidence-based information on how to safely self-manage an abortion with pills can be found on the websites of these organizations:
There are also these reliable mobile apps available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store:
Euki — Sexual health info & tracking.
You can download it in the Apple app store and Google Play store.
Safe Abortion (SA) — Hesperian Health Guides.
You can download it in the Apple app store and Google Play store.
Medication Abortion Self-Care: A guide for community accompaniment to support women
Are you an individual or organization interested in learning more about how to provide accompaniment to women seeking abortion with pills? This guide is for you!
“Accompaniment” refers to any support offered a woman during her experience of considering, seeking and self-managing an abortion with pills.
Learn more about Ipas’s commitment to supporting a woman’s right to have an abortion using pills—on her own, when and where she wants.
