A medication called mifepristone is used to terminate early-stage pregnancies. Mifepristone is also known by the brand names Mifeprex, Korlym, and RU486.
When a pregnancy is up to 10 weeks old (about 70 days after the start of a woman’s last menstrual cycle), mifepristone is administered.
How does Mifepristone prevent pregnancy?
The survival and growth of a pregnancy depend on the hormone progesterone. Thus, mifepristone stops this molecule from having the desired effect. The pregnancy must end as a result.
Mifepristone use is not the sole method of abortion. This medication frequently coexists with misoprostol.
It is suggested that a woman taking this medicine avoids having an unusual, abnormal pregnancy. For instance, a lady with an ectopic pregnancy cannot be aborted using Mifepristone. It will only lead to the ectopic pregnancy breaking, which will result in significant bleeding.
How are abortion drugs like 200 mg of mifepristone used?
Before using this drug, you should read the medication guide that was given to you by your doctor. Medical experts even encouraged you to reread the directions if necessary or seek clarification from your doctor or pharmacist.
It is advisable that a patient attend the clinic at least twice to finish therapy and any required exams since the medication can only be lawfully sold by doctors. Only locations with direct medical supervision, such a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office, are permitted for this kind of treatment.
Make sure your doctor provides you with specific instructions regarding who to contact in the event of an emergence.
A doctor must perform an ultrasound to verify that your pregnancy is internal and under 10 weeks before you are allowed to use this medication.
Mifepristone is typically taken once orally, as prescribed by your doctor. In addition, the patient is instructed to hold off taking another dose of mifepristone for 24 to 48 hours.
Even if there is no issue, a patient is recommended to come back for another check 7 to 14 days after taking mifepristone.
Keep in mind that you cannot buy this drug without a prescription. You must read and sign the patient agreement form that is included before using it, as advised by a physician.
Even though misoprostol is often used to induce labor and reduce postpartum hemorrhage at a lower dose, it is extensively used in Nigeria under the trade name Cytotec.
Nigerian women currently utilize it to trigger their own abortions.
A woman in Nigeria paid 1,100 Naira for ten of the Cytotec tablets she needed to begin an unprescribed abortion.
What is the cost of Mifepristone in Nigeria?
It is between 1,100 and 1,500 Naira. But keep in mind that doctors who prescribe them can lawfully sell the medicine.
Cytotec, Miso-fe, and Vanaprazol – 200 are some of the brand names for misoprostol that are offered.
Under the trade name Mifepack, mifepristone is sold as a combipack.
Note: Misoprostol is only approved for use in Nigeria for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). However, with the right dosage and usage, it can be used safely for a medical abortion within 10 weeks. While many pharmacies do sell Misoprostol without a prescription, they frequently do not offer the right guidance on who is eligible for it, how much to take, and how to use it for a medical abortion.