Forms of Abortion

There are two main forms of abortion. There is the pill form, Mifepristone, and there is a surgical, usually aspiration based, form of abortion.


Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid used to induce abortion of a fetus in women who are in the first two months of their pregnancy. RU-486 was developed in the 1980's in France for use as a medical abortion pill. RU-486 was not legalized in the United States in September of 2000, at the end of President Clinton's time in office. Mifepristone is about 97% effective and costs anywhere from $350-$650. It is available in all 50 states and if you visit a place like planned parenthood you can either get it there or be referred to somewhere you can get it. Mifepristone is a form of abortion that many women say they prefer because it feels more natural and less invasive than the aspiration methods and feels more like a normal miscarriage.

Surgical abortions are advised when a woman wishes to end her pregnancy after 7 weeks have gone by, and aspiration, or vacuum, abortions can be done up to 16 weeks into the pregnancy. Suction aspiration was first used in 1958 in China and later in 1967 in the UK and in the 1970s suction aspiration became used and refined in the United States. The procedure involves a small vacuum tube being inserted through the cervix and suck out the contents of the uterus. It is nearly 100% effective in terminating the pregnancy. It costs between $350-$900 during the first trimester and after that the cost increases the longer the pregnancy lasts. Women are anesthetized either locally or generally for the procedure, but the risk of complications is minimal and if the entire contents of the uterus is not gotten the first time, the procedure may be done again to ensure the desired effect.