RU 486 (Cytotec) Facts and Information.

November 10, 2006

Many abortion providers today claim that RU 486 is one of “the safest medical procedures” there is and qualify it as a “Non-Surgical Abortion”. This kind of information can be found on the abortion providers websites along with the claims of how effective the procedure is, but they barely touch  on possible complications and risks associated with RU 486. This article is aimed to provide more information about RU 486 and possible side effects and risks involved.

What is RU 486?

RU 486 is a common name for an artificial steroid used to block progesterone, a hormone produced and needed during pregnancy. Generic name: Mifepristone. In the United States RU 486 is sold under brand names Early Option and Mifeprex. Taken alone RU 486 causes complete abortion only about 60% at the time and a second drug needs to be administer to cause uterine contractions to help expelling the embryo. This second drug is prostadlandin and is sold in the US under generic and band names Misoprostol and Cytotec respectfully.

It should be mentioned that Cytotec use for this purpose was not approved by the manufacturer itself on. The primary purpose of Cytotec is intended for treatment of patients with risks for developing ulcers from high doses of aspirin-like medications taken for conditions such as arthritis. Following statement from Cytotec manufacturer is available at FDA website.

Since the effectiveness of this drug is emphasized by the abortion providers this article will aim to provide some information about side effects and risks involving taking these drugs.

Food and Drug Administration advises that a woman should not take RU 486 if any of the following apply:

• If it has been more than 49 days since your last menstrual period begun
• If you have IUD
• Your have been told that you have a pregnancy outside the uterus (known as ectopic pregnancy). About 2% of all pregnancies are ectopic.
• If you have problems with adrenal glands (chronic adrenal failure)
• If you take blood thinning medication
• You undergoing certain steroid treatments
• You cannot return for next 2 visits (2 and 14 days)
• You cannot easily get and emergency medical help (this may include “blood transfusion, and emergency resuscitation”)
• You are allergic to such medications as mifepristone, misoprostol or medicine that contains misoprostol such as Cytotec or Arthrotec.

FDA also provides information that women were excluded for US testing of RU 486 due to the possible health risks if they were:

• under 18 years of age or
• over 35 and smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day or
• if they lived or worked more than one hour from the emergency facility that served the abortion facility conducting the trial or
• if they had any of the following conditions:
• asthma
• glaucoma
• mitral stenosis
• arterial hypotension
• sickle cell anemia
• history of severe liver, respiratory or renal disease or thromboembolism
• insulin-dependent diabetes
• cardiovascular disease, e.g. angina, valve disease, arrhythmia, cardiac failure
• hypertension
• blood pressure over 140/90mmHg
• anemia
• adnexal masses or tenderness on pelvic examination that suggested pelvic inflammatory disease16

Side Effects of use of RU 486 alone or in conjunction with Cytotec.

It would be very difficult to list all possible side effects associated with use of RU 486, therefore it will be limited to the most serious and dangerous side effects:

Pelvic infections

A California teenager, Holly Patterson died from septic shock three days after taking RU 486.

Drug trials in Canada where suspended in 2001 following the death of a woman participating in the trials. Death cause- septic shock due to bacterial infection.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) study 30% of women who had incomplete RU-486 abortions developed pelvic infections because one effect of the drugs combination is to suppress immune system. The same organization (WHO) advises for women to receive antibiotics for six weeks after RU-486 abortion.

After arrival of the RU-486, abortion providers suddenly began to refer to it as a “safest way to terminate” pregnancy. The safest as opposed to what? Maye it is their own way to admit that abortion is not a safe procedure after all.

Posted in Abortion, Abortion facts, Women