From NPR (publicly owned but liberal):
Roe v. Wade could soon be overturned — meaning abortion is “certain or likely” to be banned in 26 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. If clinics that provide abortion shut down, women who can’t travel to other states may turn to telehealth prescriptions or underground networks to obtain abortion pills, making that method of ending a pregnancy even more common.
Here’s what to know about the pills and how they work.
What is a medication abortion?
Medication abortion, also known as medical abortion, typically uses a combination of two drugs to end a pregnancy. This method of abortion does not require a surgical procedure and can be done at home.
The first pill is mifepristone, which blocks a hormone known as progesterone that the body needs for a pregnancy to continue.
The second drug, misoprostol, is taken 24 to 48 hours later. This medication causes cramping and bleeding and empties the uterus.
The World Health Organization says that if mifepristone is not available, misoprostol can be used on its own. But the two drugs are more effective together.