Is The Abortion Pill Safe?
If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering your options, understanding the risks, safety, and effectiveness of the abortion pill regimen is crucial. The most common abortion method today—medication abortion—involves taking two pills: mifepristone, which stops the pregnancy from progressing, and misoprostol, which causes the uterus to expel it.
Recent real-world insurance data from the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) is challenging the assumption that this method is safe and effective, revealing that the risks of taking the abortion pill may be higher than advertised. Here’s a breakdown of the data:
FDA clinical trials have long reported:
Complication rate: Less than 0.5%
Failure rate (requiring repeat procedure): 2–5%
Overall adverse events: 2–8%
But in 2025, the EPPC released a study based on 865,727 real insurance claims (from 2017–2023) that shows a different picture:
Complication rate: 10.93% (including ER visits, infections, surgeries)
Repeat abortion within 45 days: 5.26%
Combined rate of complications or failure: 13.51%
That’s a significantly higher risk of complication and failure from the abortion pill than what’s communicated by the FDA or advocates.
Do I need an ultrasound before an abortion? Yes! Why?
Confirm the location of the pregnancy
Verify pregnancy viability
Confirm gestational age (how far along you are)
Gain information important for your health and well-being
The FDA’s approval of the abortion pill relies on data from clinical trials that occurred more than a decade ago. The EPPC dataset is much more recent, with data from no earlier than 2017.
The EPPC study looked at what actually happened to women after taking the abortion pill—tracking emergency room visits, follow-up procedures, and other complications based on insurance billing codes. The 10.93% complication rate is “at least 22 times as high as the summary figure reported on the [FDA] drug label,” according to Jamie Bryan Hall, Director of Data Analysis, and Ryan T. Anderson, President, both of the Ethics and Public Policy Center
Such a wide gap from FDA data suggests we may not be getting the full picture on real-world risks. If you’re considering a medication abortion, it’s important to consider:
Effectiveness – the pills usually work, but failure may require another procedure.
Safety – most women recover without complications, but ER visits and follow-ups aren’t as rare as once believed.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Call or text (248) 471-5858 to learn more about your options from compassionate and trustworthy medical professionals who can help you navigate your options with clarity and care.
