Abortion pills can be safely used before a pregnancy is picked up by an ultrasound

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-07 09:00

Australia; International; NSW

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Abortion pills generally used for first-trimester abortions can be safely and effectively used for pregnancies too early to see clearly on an ultrasound, according to a trial by international and Australian researchers. Mifepristone and misoprostol are used together for abortions, but the researchers say it's not yet clear how effective they are for very early pregnancies. They recruited about 1500 women requesting an abortion before 42 days of pregnancy, giving half the pill combination early while the other half waited until their pregnancy was able to be confirmed by ultrasound. The researchers said the rate of successful abortions was similar between the two groups and both approaches were similarly safe. They say this evidence could be especially useful in areas of the world where abortions are only legal in early stages of pregnancy.