“Missed period pills” are abortion-inducing drugs meant to be taken after women miss their periods and before women know if they’re pregnant or not. The idea is for women to take the pills as soon as they miss their periods to cause their periods to begin.
In recent years, researchers have been looking into missed period pills as an additional pregnancy option. Currently, missed period pills are not FDA-approved or readily available for purchase at drug stores.
How Do Missed Period Pills Work?
Missed period pills use the same drugs as medication abortion: mifepristone and misoprostol. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the uterus from absorbing progesterone and terminates the pregnancy. Then, misoprostol causes contractions to expel the pregnancy with cramping and bleeding. This abortion method is currently FDA-approved for up to 10 weeks of gestation or less by prescription only.
When used as missed period pills, these drugs will trigger a period whether a woman is pregnant or not. Therefore, women may not know if they were pregnant and had an abortion or if they were never pregnant in the first place.
What Makes Missed Period Pills Different from Abortion Pills?
While missed period pills contain the same ingredients as medication abortion pills, they’re different due to the psychological uncertainty and proposed quick access. The idea is to have them available for purchase at a store for women to take after missing a period.
Health Concerns of Missed Period Pills
A notable health concern of missed period pills is the lack of pre-screening with pregnancy testing and an ultrasound before taking the drugs. Without pregnancy confirmation first, the woman doesn’t know if she’s pregnant and if she has a pregnancy located outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy).
If not pregnant, a woman is subjecting herself to unnecessary drugs that disrupt her hormones and cause blood loss. The two drugs will not treat an ectopic pregnancy, leading to an ongoing, life-threatening condition. Missed period pills also remove the prescriber from the process, leading to less supervision and support if a complication arises.
There are also mental health concerns. Every woman will react differently to an abortion. Not knowing whether an abortion happened might give one woman peace and leave another woman wondering or feeling a lack of closure.
Make an Informed Choice
At Alpha Omega Center, we believe every woman should be confident in her pregnancy decisions. We provide free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and resources, so she never has to wonder. Women who visit our center can move forward feeling informed by knowing every pregnancy option and all the resources available.
If you recently missed your period and are looking for pregnancy confirmation and support, we can help. Schedule your free and confidential appointment today!
