Using Misoclear for medical abortion

Misoclear contains misoprostol, and can be used as a safe and effective treatment for early medical abortion.

Medical abortion is the use of one or more drugs to end an unwanted pregnancy. The most common medications used for medical abortion are mifepristone and misoprostol, and these are often referred to as the ‘abortion pill’.

Where available, these drugs are typically used in combination to complete a medical abortion, but misoprostol can be used on its own. More than 9 in 10 women said they would choose misoprostol again as their method of medical abortion.

How does Misoclear work for medical abortion?

Medical abortion is most effective when used early in the pregnancy (up to 9 weeks) and the process often resembles an early miscarriage.

Misoclear misoprostol works by causing contractions of the womb and softening the cervix (mouth of the womb) to expel the pregnancy. You can expect to experience some side effects after taking misoprostol, including mild to strong cramping and heavy bleeding.

Take a look at our step-by-step guide to learn how to use Misoclear safely.

When can Misoclear be used for medical abortion?

Misoclear can be used as early as 4 weeks and up to 9 weeks from your last menstrual period. After consultation with a healthcare professional, medical abortion can be done at home in private, at a time convenient to you.

Use our quick checklist to see if Misoclear is right for you and use our pregnancy calculator to see how many weeks pregnant you are.

How do you take Misoclear?

Misoclear is safe and effective when used according to instructions. It should only be used after consultation with a healthcare professional, and it is important that the correct dose is used, as incorrect dosing can lead to complications.

For medical abortion, you can either take Misoclear sublingually (under the tongue) or vaginally. The misoprostol will be just as effective if you put them under the tongue or in the vagina, although the pills dissolve faster under the tongue and can be viewed as being more private.

Sublingually (under the tongue)

Place 4 tablets under the tongue and allow to dissolve for 30 minutes. Swallow what is left in your mouth with water. Wait 3 hours.
After 3 hours, place another 4 tablets under the tongue and allow to dissolve for 30 minutes. Swallow what is left in your mouth with water. Wait another 3 hours.
This step is only followed if the pregnancy has not passed already: After another 3 hours, place the final 4 tablets under the tongue and allow to dissolve for 30 minutes. Swallow what is left in your mouth with water. The medical abortion should now be complete.

Vaginally

Insert 4 tablets into the deepest part of the vagina, and lie down for 30 minutes.
After 3 hours, insert another 4 tablets into the deepest part of the vagina, and lie down for 30 minutes.
This step is only followed if the pregnancy has not passed already: After another 3 hours, insert the final 4 tablets into the deepest part of the vagina, and lie down for 30 minutes.

Take a look at our step-by-step guide to learn more about how to take Misoclear for medical abortion, and what to expect afterwards.

When should Misoclear not be used?

There are several contraindications where Misoclear is not appropriate. You should not use it if:

More than 9 weeks pregnant
Experiencing severe or persistent abdominal pain
You have an IUD in place
You have known allergies to misoprostol
You have inherited porphyria
You have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinning medicines
You have a suspected ectopic pregnancy
You have adrenal or hepatic failure
If you have significant anaemia, heart disease or are on long term oral steroids or steroid injections you should exercise caution.

Speak with your healthcare professional or contact us if you have any questions.

How to prevent further pregnancy

You can get pregnant again soon after an abortion, but contraception can help you avoid unwanted pregnancies. There are a number of contraceptive methods and which one is right for you will depend on your circumstances. You can read lots of information about short term, long term and permanent contraceptive methods on this website.