Many women are ‘unprepared’ for the intensity of the pain of a chemical abortion, research finds

A new study finds that many women may be surprised by the intensity of the pain they experience after a chemical abortion.

This study, published this week in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, studied women in the United Kingdom who took abortion pills and asked about the pain they felt.

Almost half of the respondents said the pain they felt was greater than they expected. Most of the respondents (92%) rated their pain at least 4 out of 10 on the pain scale while more than 40% of the respondents rated their pain as severe (8-10).

Abortion pills, also known as a chemical or medical abortionIt includes the two drugs mifepristone and misoprostol that are taken to terminate pregnancy. These pills are the most common type of abortion provided by providers in the US, accounting for more than 60% of all abortions nationally, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

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About 1600 women responded to the survey, most of them between the ages of 20 and 39. Almost half of the respondents reported that they had never given birth before.

Two-thirds of respondents said they would choose abortion pills again if needed in the future, but 13% of respondents said they would choose surgical abortion, with the majority from this group citing the severe pain they experienced as the reason.

Although some women felt the pain was no worse than period cramps, some women who responded to the survey called the pain worse than they expected. These women said that the level of pain was “reduced” or “sugarcoated” by the information given to them by doctors before taking the pills.

“The pains were much stronger than menstrual pains, it was like contractions in the uterus. I gave birth three times and actually the pain was not much different from that pain, the cramping pain,” said one respondent.

Pro-abortion activists participate in the “Rally for Our Freedom” to protect abortion rights for Floridians, in Orlando, Florida. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty) (CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

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The researchers concluded that patients need to be given “accurate, factual information about pain” to manage and support “informed consent for the choice of abortion.”

“Women want detailed, factual information to make decisions about treatment and are ready to have an abortion if they choose to,” wrote lead study author Hannah McCulloh. “And medical abortion is a safe and effective option. This research has led BPAS to develop new patient materials and provide additional staff training, which we are currently in the process of testing.”

Pro-life activist Abby Johnson, the former director of Planned Parenthood who now helps women leave the abortion industry, said new research has revealed a truth about chemical abortions that is rarely talked about.

“It’s time for research like this to be released because women are not told the truth about what happens during medical abortions or the true extent of the pain,” Johnson said in a press release.

A health advocate holds a sign about reversing the abortion pill. (40 days to live)

“I hope they will realize that they have never been told the truth about abortion with their medicine and that, unfortunately, the abortion industry was seen as making money. That’s how I felt when I was given abortion pills and sent to me. merry way, I found out later what a medical abortion looked like,” he added .

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The abortion pill was first approved for use in the United States by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 and can be used internally the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled against a challenge to the FDA’s regulatory approval process for mifepristone brought by a group of pro-life physicians and medical organizations.

Lower courts concluded that the federal agency did not fully consider the potential health risks to women when revising mifepristone regulations from 2016. Those revisions – last revised in 2023 – include reducing the recommended dose, allowing the use of the drug up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. (from seven weeks), approving the standard version and allowing it to be sent by post (eliminating a visit to the doctor in person), among other measures.

The US Supreme Court building in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) (AP Photo)

The Biden administration and the maker of mifepristone have asked the Court to reverse an appeals decision that would cut access to the drug by mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal.

In the victory of The Biden administration and abortion rights supporters, the Supreme Court has finally reached the abortion pill, ruling unanimously that challengers to the FDA do not have standing to sue the government.

Fox News’ Brianna Herlihy and Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.