How to take Mariprist

Mariprist is a safe and effective treatment for early medical abortion when used according to instructions.

Before starting the treatment you should:

• Read through all of these step-by-step instructions carefully so that you know when not to take Mariprist.
• Read our frequently asked questions and advice on the side effects of Mariprist.
• Make a note of your nearest medical facility and how to get there. Serious complications are rare, but you should be prepared in case you do need to seek medical attention quickly.
• Make sure you are comfortable and have time for the process to begin.

Step 1

Swallow one tablet of mifepristone with water. You should wait 24 hours before moving on to step 2, but wait no longer than 48 hours.

Make sure you are comfortable and have time for the process to begin.

Step 2

Place four tablets of misoprostol under the tongue, and hold them there for 30 minutes while they dissolve. Do not eat or drink anything during these 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes has passed, swallow what is left in your mouth with water.

The misoprostol can also be placed in the vagina. However, the pills dissolve faster under the tongue.

What to expect after taking Mariprist

Within 1-4 hours of taking the misoprostol, you may get side effects including moderate to heavy bleeding with passage of clots, cramping, chills, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Bleeding and cramps are a sign the abortion is working, and this will usually lessen once the pregnancy tissue has passed.

You may have cramping on and off for 1 or 2 more days. It’s normal to have some bleeding and spotting for several weeks after your abortion. Using menstrual pads can help you track how much you bleed.

Read our frequently asked questions if you have any concerns, or visit our side effects page for information on how to manage your symptoms.

Rare complications requiring medical attention

You should seek medical help immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

• Severe bleeding or no bleeding within 24 hours
• High fever (more than 38°)
• Severe cramping or abdominal pain
• Severe and persistent vomiting or diarrhoea.

Visit our side effects page for more information.

Do not take Mariprist if:

• You are more than 9 weeks pregnant.
• You have severe or persistent abdominal pain.
• You have an IUD in your womb.

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 contraception methods on this website.

Still have questions?

Read our frequently asked questions to learn more about Mariprist, or contact us for support and guidance.