(Chemical Abortion, Non-Surgical Abortion) - An alternative to surgical abortion; using medications to terminate the pregnancy instead of surgical instruments. This method is used only during the first seven weeks of a pregnancy, or when a patient is found to have an ectopic pregnancy. At WAWC, we use a combination of medications to accomplish medical abortions. This method requires repeated visits to the clinic. Several days later, the patient inserts misoprostol tablets or suppositories into the vagina to cause the uterus to contract and empty. This second phase may take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks. The patient can expect to experience heavy bleeding and cramping during the phase when the uterus empties. In about 1 in 20 cases, the medical abortion is unsuccessful and the patient will need a surgical abortion.

Administration of medications for the purpose of inducing an abortion.

A medical abortion is a type of non-surgical abortion in which a drug is used to induce the abortion. It is sometimes referred to by the non-medical, colloquial term chemical abortion.Robinson, B.A. (March 10, 2004). http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_nosu.htm Non-Surgical, Medically Induced Abortion.

a procedure that does not involve any surgery