Who should not use medication abortion?

Most women who have an unwanted pregnancy of nine weeks or less are eligible for medication abortion methods. Medication abortion methods may be contraindicated if a woman suffers from specific conditions or diseases, listed on the table below. Women who have any of these conditions should discuss their eligibility for medication abortion and their abortion care options with their health care provider.

Mifepristone and misoprostol	Methotrexate and misoprostol	Misoprostol alone
Confirmed or suspected ectopic pregnancy Allergy to mifepristone Allergy to misoprostol Chronic systemic use of corticosteroids Coagulopathy Current anticoagulant therapy Chronic adrenal failure Inherited porphyries IUD in situ (must be removed prior to induction)	Allergy to methotrexate Allergy to misoprostol Coagulopathy Severe anemia Acute or chronic renal disease Acute or chronic hepatic disease Acute inflammatory bowel disease Uncontrolled seizure disorders IUD in situ (must be removed prior to induction)	Allergy to misoprostol IUD in situ (must be removed prior to induction) In addition, women with the following conditions were excluded from clinical trials and their eligibility for the misoprostol alone regimen is unknown. Uterine/genital infection Coagulopathy Hypertension Severe Anemia Cardiovascular disease Cerebrovascular disease

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If you have questions about medication abortion, please visit our page on frequently asked questions.

Last updated: September 2009