A recent investigation indicates that a previously established emergency contraception pill could be utilized at an elevated dosage as an alternative abortifacient, potentially replacing mifepristone—one of the primary medications employed in the prevalent abortion method across the United States.
Mifepristone has been facing considerable opposition from anti-abortion groups, leading to various states pursuing federal court actions to limit its availability. Currently, mifepristone is involved in around two-thirds of abortions in the U.S., functioning by blocking a hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. It is typically administered alongside misoprostol, which induces contractions and promotes bleeding during the abortion process.
In the study involving 133 women who were up to nine weeks pregnant, participants received a dosage of 60 milligrams of ulipristal acetate—the active compound in the contraceptive Ella—followed by misoprostol 24 hours afterward. An impressive 97% of these women experienced successful abortions through this medication regimen, matching the effectiveness of the mifepristone and misoprostol combination. However, four participants required further medical intervention to finalize their abortions.
The dosage of ulipristal utilized in the research is double that of the standard dosage found in Ella, which is prescribed for emergency contraception. The manufacturer of Ella states on its website that it is not intended to terminate an ongoing pregnancy and can be consumed within five days following unprotected intercourse to avert conception.
The study’s results, which were published in the journal NEJM Evidence, raise concerns that emergency contraception may become a target for anti-abortion activists. Dr. Daniel Grossman of the University of California, San Francisco, who authored a commentary accompanying the study, expressed worries about the potential misuse of these findings by those opposing abortion rights. Although he lauded the research, he emphasized the need for further studies before ulipristal could be routinely prescribed for abortion purposes.
Dr. Beverly Winikoff, the lead author and president of Gynuity Health Projects—a non-profit research organization—stressed the importance of providing women with information regarding ulipristal, especially in light of the ongoing legal challenges to mifepristone. “Now, at least we have an alternative,” Winikoff noted. “Having more options available is certainly preferable.”
