Abortifacients can refer to substances that cause abortion, but the definition varies. Women should be aware of herbs and chemicals that could accidentally cause miscarriage and seek advice from doctors. Drugs like RU-486 and the morning-after pill are used to induce abortion, but their effectiveness in destroying fertilized eggs is debated. Hormonal contraceptives prevent ovulation and do not typically interfere with pregnancy. Street drugs, smoking, and heavy drinking increase the risk of fetal death or disease, and some prescribed medications are associated with a higher risk of miscarriage or birth defects.
Abortifacient is a complex term that typically refers to a substance, chemical or natural, that creates abortion. The complexity in the definition arises because of the different ways abortion is defined. Some people see this as the death of an egg anytime after it’s been fertilized, while others don’t see a pregnant woman until the egg has traveled down the fallopian tube and implanted itself in the uterus. There can therefore be difficulty in determining exactly which substances are truly abortifacient and which only work on an unattached egg.
Regardless of one’s moral position on this issue, there are several reasons why women need to understand abortion. While there are examples of herbs and chemicals used specifically to induce miscarriage, there are also many chemicals and herbs with other uses that could accidentally cause it. Some herbs, for example, are contraindicated in pregnancy because they can induce miscarriage at any time. It is very important for women to know what they are and check carefully with doctors before taking herbal remedies.
Some examples of herbal abortifacients include pennyroyal, mugwort, slippery elm, and black cohosh. There are relatively benign substances such as papaya, pomegranate, saffron and brewer’s yeast, which in very large quantities have been shown to have abortifacient qualities. Again, getting advice from doctors to eat a healthy diet is of great importance in maintaining a pregnancy.
There are drugs that have been made specifically to create abortion. The well-known RU-486 or Mifepristone® is mainly used to induce abortion up to a certain time in a pregnancy. It has other uses, and if the goal is not to terminate the pregnancy, the person receiving the treatment must first be tested for pregnancy.
Another drug that some people consider an abortifacient is the morning-after pill (Plan B) or a combination of hormones designed to be used within two to three days of unprotected sex. While this drug is claimed to be able to destroy a fertilized egg, most medical professionals suggest that it cannot destroy an implanted egg and is usually used to prevent an egg from being fertilized. It’s hard to tell if ovulation has occurred at the time of use, but relying on Plan B as birth control usually boils down to personal feelings about whether this drug is truly an abortifacient.
Similarly, hormonal and other hormonal contraceptives have been called abortifacients, but when used correctly they tend to prevent ovulation, meaning no fertilization can take place. When used incorrectly, such as by skipping some pills, many women find themselves pregnant and many take hormones for the rest of their cycle without harm to the fetus. The amount of hormones taken does not tend to interfere with a pregnancy, and there are numerous “baby pills” around the world, designed when the pill or other hormonal use was incorrect.
There are other drugs, both prescribed and illegal, that have the potential to cause miscarriage. Most street drugs and the acts of smoking or heavy drinking significantly increase the risk of fetal death or disease. A number of prescribed medications are also associated with a higher risk of miscarriage or birth defects. While these may not technically be abortifacient drugs, they have the potential to do so and should be avoided by women who wish to preserve a pregnancy.
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