What Medications Should I Avoid While Taking the Abortion Pill?

Tell the provider about every medication you take, including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements. The provider reviews your full medication list at your appointment to check for any interactions with mifepristone or misoprostol, the two medications used in the abortion pill process.

Most common medications — including antidepressants, birth control pills, antibiotics, allergy medications, and thyroid medications — do not interfere with the abortion pill. You can continue taking these as usual unless the provider tells you otherwise.

The medications that need specific attention are blood thinners, long-term corticosteroids, and certain anti-inflammatory drugs. The provider will go over your specific situation during your visit.

Ibuprofen is safe and recommended for managing cramps after you take misoprostol. In fact, the provider will likely tell you to take 600 to 800 mg of ibuprofen about 30 minutes before taking misoprostol to help with cramping.

The one timing detail to know is that you should avoid taking ibuprofen or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen or aspirin) in the hours before taking misoprostol if instructed by your provider. NSAIDs can potentially reduce the effectiveness of misoprostol if taken too close together. The provider will give you specific timing instructions.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is safe to take at any point during the process. If you need pain relief before taking misoprostol, acetaminophen is a good option.

If you take blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), heparin, or newer anticoagulants like rivaroxaban (Xarelto) or apixaban (Eliquis), tell the provider at your appointment. The abortion pill causes bleeding, and blood thinners can increase the amount and duration of that bleeding.

Taking blood thinners does not automatically mean you cannot use the abortion pill. The provider will evaluate your specific medication, dosage, and medical history to determine whether the abortion pill is safe for you. In some cases, the provider may coordinate with the provider who prescribed your blood thinner.

Do not stop taking a prescribed blood thinner on your own. Always discuss any changes with the provider who prescribed it.

Long-term use of corticosteroids such as prednisone, dexamethasone, or hydrocortisone can interact with mifepristone. Mifepristone blocks certain hormone receptors, including some that corticosteroids act on. This means it could temporarily reduce the effectiveness of your corticosteroid medication.

If you take corticosteroids daily for a condition like asthma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or an adrenal disorder, the provider needs to know. Short-term or occasional use of corticosteroids, such as a steroid dose pack for a sinus infection, is less of a concern but should still be mentioned.

Using a steroid inhaler for asthma is generally safe during the abortion pill process because the dose absorbed into your bloodstream is very low. The provider will confirm this at your appointment.

Most vitamins and common supplements do not interfere with the abortion pill. However, some herbal supplements can affect bleeding or interact with medications in ways that are not well studied. Mention everything you take so the provider can review it.

Herbal supplements that may increase bleeding risk include fish oil, vitamin E in high doses, ginkgo biloba, garlic supplements, and ginger supplements in high doses. If you take any of these, the provider may suggest pausing them for a few days around the time you take misoprostol.

Prenatal vitamins, multivitamins, iron supplements, and calcium are all safe to continue throughout the process.

At The Center for Women, the provider reviews your medications as part of your appointment. You will be asked to list all medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you currently take. If you are unsure of names or dosages, bring your medication bottles or a photo of them to your visit.

The provider checks for interactions with mifepristone and misoprostol and gives you clear instructions about what to continue, what to pause, and what timing to follow. This review is included in your $380 appointment cost, along with the ultrasound, medications, and follow-up visit.

If the provider identifies a concern, they will discuss your options during the appointment. In most cases, adjustments are straightforward and do not prevent you from using the abortion pill.

Call The Center for Women at (708) 450-4545 to schedule your appointment. Same-day, evening, and weekend appointments are available. When you call, let the staff know if you have questions about your medications — they can note them so the provider is prepared to review them with you.

The Center for Women is located at 10215 W. Roosevelt Rd. #101, Westchester, IL 60154. The cost is $380 and covers your appointment, ultrasound, medications, and follow-up visit.