How is RU 486 administered?
A woman must visit an approved clinic for a physical examination and pregnancy test. Her medical history is screened to determine if there is any reason why the drug should not be used in her case. (In those countries with laws which stipulate a waiting period for abortion, a woman must leave the centre and return after the waiting period has expired.) At this point she is given RU 486 in tablet form (usually three pills of 200 mg. each), and swallows them in the presence of a nurse or doctor before leaving the clinic. (About half of the women begin to bleed the day after taking RU 486.) A woman must return to the clinic after 48 hours to receive the prostaglandin which will complete the abortion. (In the future it may become possible to avoid this separate clinic visit to administer the prostaglandin.) The woman stays at the clinic for the next 4-6 hours. Most (up to 90%) abort there; the rest will abort later at home. A woman must return several days later for an examination by a doc
