page_title: Abortifacient
hierarchical_section_title: Abortifacient
caption_attribution_description: Dr Reynold's Lightening Pills packet. Pills 'free to ladies', for a 'sure and promt cure for all irregularities and all complaints incidental to the female system.' Archives &amp; Manuscripts
context_page_description: An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. This is a nonspecific term which may refer to any number of substances or medications, ranging from herbs to prescription medications.
  Common abortifacients used in performing medical abortions include mifepristone, which is typically used in conjunction with misoprostol in a two-step approach. Synthetic oxytocin, which is routinely used safely during term labor, is also commonly used to induce abortion in the second or third trimester. Historically, a variety of herbs have been used globally to induce abortion, although many of these have not been studied and may have unintended and lethal side effects.
context_section_description: An abortifacient ("that which will cause a miscarriage" from Latin: abortus "miscarriage" and faciens "making") is a substance that induces abortion. This is a nonspecific term which may refer to any number of substances or medications, ranging from herbs to prescription medications. 
  Common abortifacients used in performing medical abortions include mifepristone, which is typically used in conjunction with misoprostol in a two-step approach. Synthetic oxytocin, which is routinely used safely during term labor, is also commonly used to induce abortion in the second or third trimester. Historically, a variety of herbs have been used globally to induce abortion, although many of these have not been studied and may have unintended and lethal side effects.
caption: A historical advertisement for "Dr. Reynold's Lightning Pills". The advertisement uses coded language to refer to the pills' supposed abortifacient properties, including its ability to resolve female "irregularities."
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