The Abortion Pill (Mifeprex, Mifepristone, RU486) procedure was approved by the FDA in the US in September of 2000. The Abortion Pill is only made and supplied by one company in which the distribution of the Pill is tightly distributed to Physicians who have experience in terminating abortions and show they are qualified to perform Medical Abortions.
The Abortion Pill is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the MIFEPREX REMS Program. Requirements of the MIFEPREX REMS Program include the following:
1) Prescribers must be certified with the program by completing the Prescriber Agreement Form.
2) Patients must sign a Patient Agreement Form.
3) MIFEPREX must be dispensed to patients only in certain healthcare settings, specifically clinics, medical offices and hospitals by or under the supervision of a certified prescriber
There are hundreds of people who ask about the abortion pill cost at CVS or are abortion pills available at pharmacies. The abortion pill is not able to purchased or distributed, prescribed or dispensed except through qualified Physicians, some but not all Abortion Clinics or hospitals that allow abortions to be performed.
An Abortion is the separation of a pregnancy from the wall of the Uterus whereas the Morning After Pill (Emergency Contraception) prevents or delays ovulation (release of the ovum or egg), or prevents implantation of the blastocyst into the wall of the Uterus. Once pregnancy occurs (implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine wall), then the Morning after pill is ineffective. The Abortion Pill or Surgical Abortion (Suction Curettage or Dilation and Evacuation) must be performed.
What Is Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)?
Emergency contraception is birth control that prevents pregnancy after sex, which is why it is sometimes called “the morning-after pill,” “the day after pill,” or “morning-after contraception. Emergency contraception can be used immediately or up to five days after intercourse if the woman believes that birth control failed, contraception was not used or you the woman was forced to have intercourse.
Emergency contraception reduces the chance of pregnancy by 50 to 100 percent. Emergency contraceptives are not as effective as the use of daily birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraception is not to be a continuous method of pregnancy prevention.
The Morning After Pill (also called “Plan B, Next Choice is 1.5mg Levonorgestrel. It is a progesterone-only pill that is highly effective in reducing pregnancies with minimal to no side effects. The chance of pregnancy is 1.3 to 2% if taken within 4 to 5 days of unprotected intercourse.
Are Abortion Pills Over the Counter?
The Morning After Pill can be purchased at Pharmacies over the counter. As noted above, Abortion Pills cannot be purchased in this manner. Anyone 17 years or older are able to request the Emergency Contraception Pill which in some places are found only behind the counter. Pharmacists in the US have the right to refuse to sell anyone the Morning After Pill due to their moral consciousness and values. A pharmacist who refuses to sell Emergency Contraception are supposed to refer clients to another Pharmacist or Pharmacy but this frequently does not happen.
The Morning after pill (Plan B; Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg) is available at drug stores. If you are younger than 17, you’ll need a prescription to get it (or an older sibling or friend to get it for you). It costs between $30 to $60.
Ella is a newer version of Emergency Contraception and is an anti-progestin. It is more effective than plan B after the third to the fifth day of unprotected intercourse. It is sold at Pharmacies such as Walgreens but it can only be purchased with a written prescription from the pharmacist.
Intrauterine Device (IUD) Use for Emergency Contraception:
The copper IUD has been used for emergency contraception for many years. It has the most successful rate in preventing pregnancy when implanted within 5 to 7 days after unprotected intercourse. The pregnancy rate is 0.01%.
The mechanism of how the IUD works as an Emergency Contraceptive are several fold:
Contraindications of Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill):
Contraindications include undiagnosed uterine bleeding, migraine headaches or a history of thromboembolism when using pills like Plan B or Ella.
Contraindications of the use of the IUD as a use for Emergency Contraception are ectopic pregnancy, undiagnosed uterine bleeding, pregnancy, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Cervicitis, Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI’s) or multiple partners.
Dr James S Pendergraft Orlando Abortion Clinic, www.womencenter.com.
