In later pregnancy the surgical abortion is referred to as a dilation and evacuation or extraction because the pregnancy is removed with forceps instead of the vacuum. Dilation or dilatation refers to the process of opening the cervix enough to insert a small suction tube or forceps. This is done with graduated metal dilators in early pregnancy. In later pregnancies dilation is augmented with either prostaglandin medication or with small rods that are left in the cervix for several hours. The rods are called laminaria .
Medical abortion is achieved by using a series of drugs taken sequentially.
The patient expels the pregnancy at home. Medical abortion is synonymous with non-surgical abortion. The drugs that are used are either Mifepristone or Methotrexate followed by Misoprostol . The Mifepristone is called Mifeprex in the United States and RU486 in Europe. The abortion pill is Mifepristone.