A recent study indicates that an emergency contraceptive pill might be utilized at a higher dosage as a means to induce abortion, offering a potential alternative to mifepristone, which is commonly used in the United States for terminating pregnancies. As mifepristone faces mounting opposition from anti-abortion groups, several states are pursuing legal measures to limit its use.
Currently, mifepristone is employed in about two-thirds of abortion procedures in the U.S. It functions by blocking a hormone essential for pregnancy maintenance and is typically followed by misoprostol, a drug that induces contractions and bleeding. In the study, a group of 133 women who were up to nine weeks pregnant received a 60-milligram dose of ulipristal acetate—the active ingredient in the emergency contraceptive Ella—before taking misoprostol 24 hours later. Remarkably, 97% of those participants successfully underwent an abortion, achieving results comparable to the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol. However, four women required additional medical intervention to complete the process.
The 60-milligram dosage used in the study represents twice the standard amount found in Ella, which is typically prescribed to prevent pregnancy and is effective for use within five days after unprotected intercourse. The manufacturer of Ella states that its medication will not terminate an ongoing pregnancy. The results of this investigation, published in the journal NEJM Evidence on Thursday, may lead to emergency contraception being scrutinized by those against abortion.
Dr. Daniel Grossman of the University of California, San Francisco, who authored a commentary accompanying the study, expressed concern that such findings could be misinterpreted or misused by anti-abortion advocates as they increase their opposition to contraceptives. Although Grossman commended the study’s findings, he emphasized the necessity for additional research concerning ulipristal’s application as an abortion drug before it can be regularly recommended by healthcare professionals.
Dr. Beverly Winikoff, the lead author and president of Gynuity Health Projects, a nonprofit dedicated to research, emphasized the importance of providing women with comprehensive information about ulipristal, particularly in light of the legal challenges facing mifepristone. Winikoff noted the significance of having this alternative option available, stating, “At least now we would have an alternative. I think it’s better to have more things that you could use.”
