In September 2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of the drug mifepristone, also known as RU-486, for use in nonsurgical abortions occurring within the first seven weeks of pregnancy. The procedure entails a two-drug combination: Mifepristone causes the uterus to shed its lining and dislodge the embryo; then misoprostol, taken two days later, induces contractions that expel the remaining tissue. While abortion rights supporters hailed the FDA’s announcement as a breakthrough for American women, opponents condemned it as a move that would endanger human life and health.

Supporters maintain that RU-486 is an effective alternative to surgical abortion, and it provides women a sense of privacy and control during the process of terminating a pregnancy. Although its side effects include nausea, bleeding, and abdominal cramps, several surveys have concluded that more than 95 percent of the women who have had RU486 abortions would recommend the method to others. Since the procedure requires no anesthesia and carries no risk of uterine perforation or post-surgery infection, many proponents contend that it is generally safer than surgical abortion. “It might be painful, I might bleed,” comments one woman who took RU-486, “but it will be more natural; my body will be doing it to itself.”

Critics, however, argue that the promoters of the “abortion pill” have downplayed the severity of its side effects. Research scientist Lawrence F. Roberge reports that mifepristone can cause prolonged bleeding and suppress the immune system, increasing the risk for bacterial infections. In addition, misoprostol can induce very painful uterine contractions, and some women are emotionally traumatized when they see the remains of the aborted embryo. “There is nothing easy or safe about RU-486,” maintains abortion opponent Marian Wallace. “Chemical abortions . . . will not advance women’s health. They will only advance our national tragedy of abortion.”

The viewpoints in the following chapter present further debate about the physical and emotional effects of abortion.