Abortion Pills

Mifeprex, or RU-486, is better known as the abortion pill. It's used to terminate a pregnancy that is less than 49 days to term by cutting off the uterus from the hormones needed to maintain its interior wall. After the uterus is unable to maintain itself, the contents that have been developing during the pregnancy leave the uterus.

If a woman thinks she may become pregnant after having unprotected sex and knows she is not ready to have a child, she may have the option to take a pill that will block fertilization or an egg from implanting in the uterus or delay and prevent ovulation, depending on how far along she is in her menstrual cycle. These pills are generically referred to as morning-after pills and a woman must be at least 17 years old to buy most brands over-the-counter. These pills are not abortion pills, as they are meant to prevent pregnancy not to terminate them; a woman doesn't conceive until a few days after sex. Morning-after pills are an emergency birth control method and will not affect a woman who is already pregnant. They will also not affect the baby.

There are only three morning-after pills approved by the Food and Drug Administration: Plan B One-Step, Next Choice and Ella. Plan B One-Step and Next Choice both contain the hormone levonorgestrel. Ella contains ulipristal acetate.