Medical abortions use two different drugs in pill form to terminate a pregnancy. Commonly known as the abortion pill, a medical abortion begins with a dose of the first drug prescribed, mifepristone. Pregnant women produce increased amounts of the hormone progesterone.  Mifepristone blocks the production of progesterone which doesn’t allow the pregnancy to remain attached to the uterus and grow.
Within 24-48 hours, a dose of misoprostol is given to complete the process. Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract which expels the pregnancy. Your healthcare provider will typically have you schedule an appointment after you pass the pregnancy to be sure nothing is left behind in the uterus.