Even though contraception is easily and freely available, it is an inescapable fact of life that women continue to get pregnant inadvertently. Historically, women have tried to use a number of plant substances in order to induce an abortion. It was not until 1981 though that medical researchers developed a pill called RU-486 or mifepristone, which allowed doctors to terminate a pregnancy safely and reliably. This medicine has been available in Europe since 1989, where it has been used to treat over half a million women. Clinical studies done by the Population Council in Pune and Mumbai have confirmed that a medical abortion using mifepristone is highly acceptable to Indian women.
Mifepristone is an anti-progestin, which blocks the progesterone hormone receptors.
Since progesterone, a normal female hormone produced by the ovary, is needed to maintain an early pregnancy, when its action is blocked by mifepristone, the hormone can't act, and the pregnancy gets detached from the uterus. After 48 hours, another medicine called a prostaglandin is administered, which causes the uterus to have contractions that expels the pregnancy. Pain and bleeding occur after using the second medicine, and the woman has what is very similar to a heavier version of her period. The process resembles a natural miscarriage, and the bleeding can last for as long as 14 days. Close medical supervision, to ensure that it is used only to terminate very early pregnancies, and a follow-up after 14 days to confirm that the pregnancy has been completely expelled, are very important.