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Medical Abortion

Jeremy Golding, FAAFP, MD and Kristina Gracey Gracey, MD, MPH Reviewed 06/2021
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Medical abortion is induced termination of an early pregnancy by use of medications.

  • The U.S. FDA has approved a combination of two medications including mifepristone (RU-486) (an ant...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Careful, nonjudgmental assessment of a woman’s thoughts and feelings about her pregnancy is the starting point for all subsequent counseling regarding options for the pregnancy. A med...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • The FDA has approved mifepristone and misoprostol given in combination to induce abortion in gestations up to 70 days (2). Efficacy to at least 11 weeks has also been shown u...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Patient should be evaluated in office or by telemedicine within 2 weeks of medication administration to assess for symptoms of successful termination, or earlier ...

REFERENCES

1
CDC – National Center for Health Statistics – Homepage. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/. November 6, 2020.
2
Food and Drug Administration: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm111323.htm https:...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Abbas  D, Chong  E, Raymond  EG. Outpatient medical abortion is safe and effective through 70 days gestation. Contraception.  2015;92(3):197–199. [Vi...

SEE ALSO

Patient education material 

CODES

ICD10

  • Z33.2 Encounter for elective termination of pregnancy

  • O04.80 (Induced) termination of pregnancy with unsp complications

  • O03.4 Incomplete spontaneous abortion without complication

  • O02.1 Missed ...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Medical abortion is a highly effective and extremely safe method to terminate pregnancy that is preferred by some women over a surgical procedure.

  • The FDA-approved regimen of mifepristo...

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