Is the Abortion Pill Safe?
March 13, 2026
Yes. The abortion pill is safe. It has been FDA-approved since 2000, and millions of patients in the United States have used it over more than 20 years. Serious problems happen in less than 1% of cases, and it is safer than many common medical procedures, including carrying a pregnancy to term. At The Center for Women, a licensed provider oversees your care in person.
Is the abortion pill safe?
Yes. The abortion pill has been FDA-approved since 2000, and millions of patients in the United States have used it safely for more than 20 years. Few medicines have been studied more closely.
Serious problems happen in less than 1% of cases, and the risk of one bad enough to need hospital care is less than 0.4%. To put that in perspective, the abortion pill is safer than a colonoscopy, a tonsillectomy, or carrying a pregnancy to term and giving birth.
Decades of research back up its safety, and so do major medical groups like the FDA, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
What does the research say about safety?
Large studies of hundreds of thousands of patients confirm the abortion pill is safe. One major study from 2022 looked at more than 50,000 medication abortions and found serious problems in less than 0.4% of them.
The FDA ran its own safety review in 2016 and again in 2023, and both times it found that mifepristone (the first medication) has a strong safety record. The 2023 review covered more than 20 years of use in the United States.
The research also shows the abortion pill does not affect future fertility. Patients who have used it show no added risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or problems in later pregnancies.
What are the risks?
Like any medicine, the abortion pill has some risks, but serious problems are uncommon. Here are the known risks and how often they happen:
- Incomplete abortion (2 to 7% of cases): The pills do not fully end the pregnancy. The provider catches this at your follow-up visit, and it can be treated with more medicine or a short procedure.
- Heavy bleeding that needs treatment (less than 1%): Bleeding heavy enough to need medical care. The clinic gives you clear guidelines on when to get emergency help.
- Infection (less than 0.5%): An infection that can be treated with antibiotics. Signs include a fever lasting more than 24 hours and foul-smelling discharge.
- Allergic reaction (very rare): A reaction to one of the medications. The provider checks for known allergies at your appointment.
Bleeding and cramping are not on this list because they are not complications, they are how the medicine does its job.
Does the abortion pill affect future pregnancies?
No. Study after study shows the abortion pill does not affect your ability to get pregnant later. It does not raise the risk of infertility, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth, or low birth weight in future pregnancies.
In fact, you can get pregnant again as soon as 2 weeks after taking the abortion pill, even before your next period returns. If you want to prevent pregnancy, ask the provider about birth control options at your appointment or follow-up visit.
Does the abortion pill cause long-term health problems?
No. More than 20 years of research and use have shown no link between the abortion pill and long-term health problems. It does not raise the risk of cancer, depression, or any other lasting condition.
Abortion also does not cause depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems, despite claims you may have seen elsewhere. A large 2018 review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found no evidence of harm, and the emotion patients report most often after an abortion is relief.
Why is an in-person provider visit important?
At The Center for Women, you see a licensed provider in person, and that matters for your safety. The provider does an ultrasound to check how far along you are, which makes sure the abortion pill is right for your pregnancy. The provider also reviews your health history and checks for conditions the pill cannot treat, such as an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus).
Seeing the doctor in person also means you can ask questions face to face, get clear answers, and leave with written instructions from someone who has examined you. Your follow-up visit happens at the same clinic, so the people checking on you already know your case.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Call The Center for Women at (708) 450-4545 to schedule your appointment. The cost is $380 and includes your provider visit, ultrasound, both medications, and follow-up appointment.
Same-day, evening, and weekend appointments are available. The clinic is located at 10215 W. Roosevelt Rd. #101, Westchester, IL 60154.
How safe is the abortion pill compared to other medications?
The abortion pill is safer than many common medicines. The risk of a serious problem is less than 1%. By comparison, about 1 to 10% of people have an allergic reaction to penicillin, and giving birth carries a much higher risk than the abortion pill.
Has the FDA approved the abortion pill?
Yes. The FDA approved mifepristone for medication abortion in 2000. It has reviewed it several times since, most recently in 2023, and each review has found it safe and effective.
Can the abortion pill cause infertility?
No. Research shows the abortion pill does not affect future fertility, and you can get pregnant again as soon as 2 weeks after taking it.
Can the abortion pill cause cancer?
No. There is no scientific evidence linking the abortion pill, or abortion in general, to a higher risk of any type of cancer. The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society have both confirmed this.
What happens if something goes wrong?
Serious complications are rare, happening in less than 1% of cases, and they are treatable. Call the clinic or go to the emergency room if you soak 2 or more pads per hour for 2 hours, run a fever above 100.4°F for more than 24 hours, or have severe pain that ibuprofen does not relieve.
Is it safer to see a provider in person?
An in-person visit lets the provider perform an ultrasound, check for conditions like ectopic pregnancy, and tailor your care. At The Center for Women, a licensed provider oversees your care from start to finish.
How many people have used the abortion pill safely?
Millions of patients in the United States have used the abortion pill safely since it was approved in 2000. It now accounts for more than half of all abortions in the U.S., and research and FDA reviews keep confirming its safety record.
