Abortion Pills Online: What You Should Know Before Ordering
If you searched “Can I get abortion pills online?” the short answer is yes. Abortion medications are increasingly available through telehealth providers, pharmacies, websites, and other online sources.
But before you order or take abortion pills, there are some important questions that an internet search cannot answer about your pregnancy.
How far along are you? Is the pregnancy located inside the uterus? Is it developing? Are there medical conditions or medications that could affect your risk? And perhaps just as importantly: Are you confident about your decision, or are fear, pressure, finances, school, a relationship, or someone else’s expectations making the decision feel urgent?
At The Bridge Wellness South, we believe you deserve time, accurate information, and someone willing to sit with you while you sort through those questions.
What are the abortion pills?
Medication abortion commonly involves two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone necessary for the pregnancy to continue. Misoprostol then causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. The FDA-approved regimen is indicated for an intrauterine pregnancy through 70 days, or 10 weeks, from the first day of the last menstrual period. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Medication abortion has become increasingly common. According to the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortions accounted for approximately 63% of abortions occurring within the formal U.S. health care system in 2023. Guttmacher Institute
Can abortion pills really be ordered online?
Yes—but there is an important difference between receiving abortion medication by mail through an FDA-regulated system and simply purchasing pills from an online source.
Under current FDA rules, mifepristone can be prescribed by a certified healthcare provider and dispensed through a certified pharmacy, including by mail. However, the FDA specifically advises against purchasing mifepristone outside its regulated REMS program, such as from an unregulated website or foreign supplier, because the FDA cannot verify the medication’s quality, safety, or effectiveness. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
That distinction matters. “Ordered online” does not automatically mean unsafe—but who prescribed it, where it came from, and whether appropriate medical screening occurred matter greatly.
How effective are abortion pills?
When the FDA-approved combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is used during early pregnancy, it is generally effective at ending a pregnancy.
Clinical trials submitted to the FDA found that the medication regimen ended the pregnancy without further intervention in most cases. However, it does not work completely in every pregnancy. Some women require additional medication, medical evaluation, or a procedure because of an ongoing pregnancy, retained tissue, or bleeding.Access Data FDA
Abortion pills do not work every time.
Some women experience an ongoing pregnancy, incomplete abortion, prolonged bleeding, or another complication that requires additional medication or a procedure. FDA study data found surgical intervention occurred in about 2.6% of women in U.S. trials, although the reasons included ongoing pregnancy, retained tissue, persistent or heavy bleeding, medical necessity, and patient request. Access Data FDA
What should I know before taking abortion pills?
Before taking medication intended to end a pregnancy, there are several things worth knowing.
How far along is the pregnancy? The FDA-approved use of mifepristone with misoprostol is through 70 days from the first day of the last menstrual period. If your cycles are irregular or you are uncertain about your dates, estimating gestational age can be difficult. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Where is the pregnancy located? Abortion pills do not treat an ectopic pregnancy—a pregnancy developing outside the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy can become life-threatening if it ruptures. Warning signs can include one-sided pelvic pain, unusual bleeding, severe abdominal pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, weakness, or fainting.
Not every abortion-pill provider requires an ultrasound before prescribing medication. However, an ultrasound can provide information that an online questionnaire cannot—such as helping determine gestational age and, when visible, the location and development of the pregnancy.
Do you have medical conditions or medications that matter? The FDA lists several circumstances in which mifepristone should not be used, including confirmed or suspected ectopic pregnancy, certain bleeding disorders or blood-thinning medications, chronic adrenal failure, long-term corticosteroid treatment, certain allergies, and an IUD that remains in place. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
These are questions worth answering before the medication arrives at your door.
Learn more about the importance of ultrasound before taking abortion pills. HERE
What are the risks and side effects of abortion pills?
Many women will not experience a serious complication, but complications can occur, including excessive bleeding, infection, incomplete abortion, ongoing pregnancy, and the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy going undiagnosed. Knowing what symptoms require medical attention is important, particularly when the process is occurring at home.
Potential complications include:
- excessive bleeding
- incomplete abortion
- ongoing pregnancy
- infection or sepsis
- an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy
- the need for additional medication or a surgical procedure
Symptoms should be ignored. Knowing which symptoms are expected and which ones require help is especially important if you are going through the process at home.
When should I get medical help after taking abortion pills?
Seek medical help promptly if something does not seem right.
The FDA medication guide advises contacting a healthcare provider for heavy bleeding that soaks through two full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours. A fever of 100.4°F or higher lasting more than four hours, severe abdominal pain, fainting, or feeling significantly ill more than 24 hours after misoprostol can also signal a complication. If you cannot reach a healthcare provider, the FDA advises going to the nearest emergency room. Access Data FDA
Sudden severe abdominal or pelvic pain, shoulder pain, significant weakness, dizziness, or fainting may also be symptoms of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and require emergency evaluation.
If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Do I need to see someone before ordering abortion pills?
You may be able to obtain abortion medication without an in-person visit. That does not mean an in-person conversation has nothing to offer.
The internet can give you information.
It cannot look you in the eye when you say, “I don’t know what to do.”
It cannot tell whether your biggest concern is really the pregnancy—or whether it is losing a relationship, disappointing your parents, finishing school, paying your bills, keeping your job, or wondering whether you could actually raise a child.
And a search engine cannot tell you whether you are making the decision you truly want or simply trying to make the fear stop.
That is why The Bridge Wellness South invites you to come in before you feel you have to decide everything.
Before fear makes the decision, come talk with us
At The Bridge Wellness South in Stockbridge, Georgia, women can receive free and confidential pregnancy testing, limited obstetrical ultrasound, pregnancy decision support, and a safe place to talk without pressure. The Bridge does not perform or refer for abortions; our care is life-affirming and designed to help women understand their pregnancies and the resources available to them. The Bridge Wellness South
We believe both you and your baby have value. We also know that an unexpected pregnancy can make life feel very complicated very quickly.
You do not have to solve every problem today.
Sometimes the most helpful next step is simply finding out what is actually happening and sitting across from another person who has time to listen.
The Bridge Wellness South
100 Eagles Walk
Stockbridge, GA 30281
770-957-8288
Pregnancy testing, limited ultrasound, and our other services are offered at no cost. The Bridge Wellness South
This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. If you are experiencing severe pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, or other symptoms of a medical emergency, seek emergency medical attention.