What happens after I take the misoprostol pills?
Misoprostol causes strong cramping and bleeding in your uterus that makes the pregnancy come out through your vagina — similar to a heavy period or early miscarriage.
You should expect cramping and bleeding to start within an hour after you take the second dose, but sometimes it can take until shortly after the third dose or longer.
It’s normal to see large blood clots (up to the size of a lemon) or clumps of tissue during the abortion. But the pregnancy itself is very small — at 8 weeks, an embryo is about ¼ to ½ inch long. You may not see it when it comes out, especially if you’re less than 8 weeks pregnant.
The cramping and bleeding can last for several hours. It’s heaviest when the pregnancy comes out, and it will start to slow down after that. Most people finish passing the pregnancy tissue in 4-5 hours, but it may take longer. You may have cramping on and off for 1 or 2 more days.
If you don’t have any bleeding within 24 hours after taking the last dose of misoprostol, call your nurse or doctor.
It’s common to have side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting from the misoprostol. Anti-nausea medicine can help with this.
