Frequently Asked Questions

For pregnancies under 12 weeks, an abortion using pills at home is possible. Organisations like Women on Web and Women Help Women are known to send abortion pills to Malta. Please remember that abortion is illegal in Malta, but it is a known fact that the illegality of abortion does not stop women from having abortions.

For pregnancies over 8 weeks, you could have a surgical abortion in a clinic abroad. If you can afford to pay for this privately, you can make your own arrangement and contact overseas abortion providers, like BPAS or Marie Stopes in the UK. If you cannot afford all the costs, Abortion Support Network may be able to help - you can call them on 27780991.

If you decide to order abortion pills online, Women on Web and Women Help Women will usually ask for a donation of around EUR 100. If you have trouble paying this, they might reduce it or send them for free.

If you decide to opt for a surgical abortion in a clinic overseas, it will be significantly costlier. You will need to consider the cost of abortion, which is around EUR 1,000 in most cases, as well as the cost of travelling and accommodation. Contact overseas clinics like BPAS UK and Marie Stopes UK for more information.

If you have an abortion abroad in a country where it is legal (which is almost all other EU states), then you cannot be prosecuted in Malta.

Taking abortion pills in Malta is illegal, however we are not aware of any women who have been taken to court recently. However, this could happen if you get caught. If you would like legal advice from pro-choice lawyers, you can contact the Women's Rights Foundation.

Abortion pills themselves are not illegal, and they have other medical uses. For example, Mifepristone is used to treat certain types of cancer, and Misoprostol is used to treat stomach ulcers.

Yes, abortion pills can be used at home with pregnancies of up to 12 weeks, according to the World Health Organisation.

The risks of a medical abortion are the same as those of a miscarriage. About 15% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage, most of which do not happen in a hospital. Most women will deal with miscarriages themselves and only seek medical attention in case of problems, such as prolonged heavy bleeding or fever. A medical abortion resembles a miscarriage and can occur safely at home.

Mifepristone and Misoprostol successfully terminate the pregnancy in 99.5% of cases. In 97% of cases, the woman's body eliminates all the pregnancy remains naturally.

It is normal to see bleeding with clots for 1-3 weeks after an abortion. If you have extreme pain, prolonged heavy bleeding, smelly vaginal discharge or fever, it might be a sign that you have a complication and should get medical help.

From what other women have told us, abortion pills from Women on Web generally arrive in 2-3 weeks, while from Women Help Women they take around 4 weeks. However, delivery times vary because the organisations often use different methods of postage.

In summary, Mifepristone 200mg is swallowed, and then 24 hours it is followed by Misoprostol 800mcg (usually 4 tablets of 200mcg each) placed under the tongue or between the teeth and cheek for 30 minutes. For pregnancies of over 9 weeks, the dose of Misoprostol may need to be repeated after 3 hours.

Bleeding should start within a few hours of taking Misoprostol.

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Yes. Cramping pains are to expected during an abortion and Ibuprofen (Nurofen) is the most effective painkiller. Paracetamol (Panadol) can also be used but may be less effective.

Nausea is also common during abortion and anti-sickness tablets like Motilium can help.

Most probably not. You will see blood and tissue (clots) but it is very unlikely that you will see an embryo. For abortions done in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, the embryo usually is too small to be seen. Beyond 8 weeks, an embryo or parts of it may be seen, although these are usually obscured by blood and tissue.

Not unless you tell them. There is no test they can do to check whether you took abortion pills, unless they find the pills themselves. Women on Web advise that Misoprostol is put under the tongue instead of inside the vagina, so that no residue of the pills can be found.

If you have taken abortion pills and you think you need medical help, for example you feel very weak, have bled too much, or have a fever, you should seek help immediately. You do not have to tell anyone you took abortion pills, because the treatment for abortion and natural miscarriage is the same.

If you vomit in the first 90 minutes after swallowing Mifepristone, it may be less effective. However, as advised by Women Help Women, you can still continue with the abortion and take Misoprostol the next day.

If you vomit 90 minutes or more after swallowing Mifepristone, then it has already been absorbed and you do not need to worry.

Since Misoprostol is held under the tongue for 30 minutes and you do not have to swallow it, vomiting is less likely to be a problem. However, if you do vomit during those 30 minutes you should take another dose of Misoprostol.

Nausea is very common during the abortion process. You can take medicines like Motilium to help with this.

Misoprostol can be used up to 72 hours (3 days) after Mifepristone, so you should take it as soon as you remember. If you do not take Misoprostol at all after taking Mifepristone, you could have one of three outcomes:

1. You could have a complete abortion anyway.

2. You could have a missed abortion (an unviable fetus that remains in the uterus) and this will have to be removed with a minor surgical procedure.

3. Your pregnancy could continue.

There is no evidence that the effects of Mifepristone can be reversed using Progesterone or any other drug.

A few hours after taking Misoprostol you should start to see blood, which should be at least as heavy as a period. Since the pregnancy hormones take a while to come down after an abortion, a pregnancy test may remain positive for up to three weeks after an abortion.

You could have a pregnancy test at 2 weeks after taking abortion pills: If it is negative, then the abortion definitely happened. If it is positive at 2 weeks, it does not necessarily mean the abortion did not work - you should take another test a week later (3 weeks after the abortion pills). If it is still positive at 3 weeks, then the abortion may have been unsuccessful and you may have to repeat the process or opt for a surgical abortion.

An ultrasound can also be used to tell whether an abortion has been successful.

You should start using contraception straight away, because ovulation can happen soon after an abortion. If you use the contraceptive pill, you can start a new pack the day after taking Misoprostol. If you start the pill more than three days after taking Misoprostol, you should use a condom during the first 9 days.

No, an abortion will not affect your ability to have children in the future.

No. According to research by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), a fetus does not have the necessary brain connections to feel pain and is unconscious before 24 weeks. Almost all abortions are performed before 24 weeks.

The RCOG research can be accessed here.

You should not use abortion pills if:

• Someone is forcing you to end your pregnancy against your will.

• You are not sure about wanting to end your pregnancy.

• The first day of your last menstrual period was more than 12 weeks ago.

• You have an allergy to Mifepristone, Misoprostol, or prostaglandins (this is very rare).

• You have one of the following diseases: Chronic adrenal failure, Hemorrhagic disorders or bleeding disorders/diseases, Inherited porphyrias. (These diseases are very rare.)

• You have an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the womb).

• You are alone. You should ask a partner, friend or other trusted person to stay with you while you use the medicines.