An
abortifacient is a substance that induces
abortionAn abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species...
. Abortifacients for
animalAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
s that have
matedIn biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation and, in social animals, also to raise their offspring. For animals, mating methods include random mating, disassortative mating, assortative mating, or a mating pool....
undesirably are known as mismating shots.
Common abortifacients used in performing medical abortions include
mifepristoneMifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. It is used as an abortifacient in the first two months of pregnancy, and in smaller doses as an emergency contraceptive. During early trials, it was known as RU-486, its designation at the Roussel Uclaf company, which designed...
, which is typically used in conjunction with
misoprostolMisoprostol is a drug that is used for the prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug -induced gastric ulcers, for early abortion, to treat missed miscarriage, and to induce labor. The last use is controversial in the United States. Misoprostol was invented and marketed by G.D...
in a two-step approach. There are also several herbal mixtures with abortifacient claims, though there is no available data on the efficacy of these plants in humans.
When used in oral form may be referred to as an
abortion pill.
MifepristoneMifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. It is used as an abortifacient in the first two months of pregnancy, and in smaller doses as an emergency contraceptive. During early trials, it was known as RU-486, its designation at the Roussel Uclaf company, which designed...
, a
progesterone receptorThe progesterone receptor also known as NR3C3 , is an intracellular steroid receptor that specifically binds progesterone...
competitive antagonistA competitive antagonist is a receptor antagonist that binds to a receptor but does not activate the receptor. The antagonist will compete with available agonist for receptor binding sites on the same receptor...
, was first approved in 1988 under the trade name Mifegyne for medical termination of early pregnancy in conjunction with a
prostaglandin analogueSynthetic prostaglandin analogues are molecules which are manufactured to bind to a prostaglandin receptor.Wider use of prostaglandin analogues is limited by unwanted side effects and their abortive potential.-Uses:...
.
An
abortifacient is a substance that induces
abortionAn abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species...
. Abortifacients for
animalAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
s that have
matedIn biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation and, in social animals, also to raise their offspring. For animals, mating methods include random mating, disassortative mating, assortative mating, or a mating pool....
undesirably are known as mismating shots.
Common abortifacients used in performing medical abortions include
mifepristoneMifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. It is used as an abortifacient in the first two months of pregnancy, and in smaller doses as an emergency contraceptive. During early trials, it was known as RU-486, its designation at the Roussel Uclaf company, which designed...
, which is typically used in conjunction with
misoprostolMisoprostol is a drug that is used for the prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug -induced gastric ulcers, for early abortion, to treat missed miscarriage, and to induce labor. The last use is controversial in the United States. Misoprostol was invented and marketed by G.D...
in a two-step approach. There are also several herbal mixtures with abortifacient claims, though there is no available data on the efficacy of these plants in humans.
When used in oral form may be referred to as an
abortion pill.
Pharmaceutical abortifacients
MifepristoneMifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. It is used as an abortifacient in the first two months of pregnancy, and in smaller doses as an emergency contraceptive. During early trials, it was known as RU-486, its designation at the Roussel Uclaf company, which designed...
, a
progesterone receptorThe progesterone receptor also known as NR3C3 , is an intracellular steroid receptor that specifically binds progesterone...
competitive antagonistA competitive antagonist is a receptor antagonist that binds to a receptor but does not activate the receptor. The antagonist will compete with available agonist for receptor binding sites on the same receptor...
, was first approved in 1988 under the trade name Mifegyne for medical termination of early pregnancy in conjunction with a
prostaglandin analogueSynthetic prostaglandin analogues are molecules which are manufactured to bind to a prostaglandin receptor.Wider use of prostaglandin analogues is limited by unwanted side effects and their abortive potential.-Uses:...
. Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, is marketed under the trade name Mifegyne in France and countries other than the U.S., and under the trade name Mifeprex in the U.S.
MisoprostolMisoprostol is a drug that is used for the prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug -induced gastric ulcers, for early abortion, to treat missed miscarriage, and to induce labor. The last use is controversial in the United States. Misoprostol was invented and marketed by G.D...
, a synthetic
prostaglandinA prostaglandin is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived enzymatically from fatty acids and have important functions in the animal body. Every prostaglandin contains 20 carbon atoms, including a 5-carbon ring....
E
1 (PGE
1) analogue, was first approved in 1988 under the trade name Cytotec for reducing the risk of
NSAIDNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually abbreviated to NSAIDs or NAIDs, are drugs with analgesic, antipyretic and, in higher doses, with anti-inflammatory effects...
-induced
gastric ulcerA peptic ulcer, also known as ulcus pepticum, PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is an ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful...
s. Misoprostol is approved in France under the trade name GyMiso for use with mifepristone for
medical abortionA medical abortion is a type of non-surgical abortion in which a drug is used to induce the abortion. Safe and effective medical abortion methods became an alternative for first trimester pregnancy termination in the 1970s. The most widely used medication are mifepristone or methotrexate either...
. Misoprostol is used
off-labelOff-label use is the practice of prescribing pharmaceuticals for an unapproved indication.. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research reviews a company's New Drug Application for data from clinical trials to see if the results support the drug...
with mifepristone for medical abortion in the U.S.
Misoprostol alone is sometimes used for
self-induced abortionA self-induced abortion is an abortion performed by the pregnant woman herself, outside the recognized medical system. Although the term can include abortions induced through legal, over-the-counter medication, it also refers to efforts to terminate a pregnancy through alternative, often more...
in
Latin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,501 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries where legal abortion is not available, and by some people in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who cannot afford a legal
abortionAn abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species...
.
Herbal abortifacients
Many herbs and plants sold "
over the counterOver-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold to a customer without a prescription from a health care professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may only be sold to customers possessing a valid prescription...
" today are claimed by herbalists to act as abortifacients if taken in certain doses or mixtures. Examples include brewer's yeast,
vitamin CVitamin C or L-ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, in which it functions as a vitamin. Ascorbate is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants...
,
wild carrotDaucus carota is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate regions of Europe, southwest Asia and naturalised to northeast North America; domesticated carrots are cultivars of a subspecies, Daucus carota subsp...
, blue cohosh, black cohosh,
slippery elmThe Slippery Elm Ulmus rubra is a species of elm native to eastern North America . It is similar to American Elm in general appearance, but more closely related to the European Wych Elm, which has a very similar flower structure...
,
pennyroyalPennyroyal is a plant in the mint genus, within the family Lamiaceae. Crushed Pennyroyal leaves exhibit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint. Pennyroyal is a traditional culinary herb, folk remedy, and abortifacient...
,
nutmegNutmeg or Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia, or Spice Islands. Until the mid 19th century this was the world's only source...
, mugwort,
papayaThe papaya is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, in the genus Carica. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classic cultures...
, vervain,
common rueRue is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20-60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. Different authors accept between 8 and 40 species in the genus...
,
ergotErgot refers to a group of fungi of the genus Claviceps . The most prominent member of this group is Claviceps purpurea. This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and can cause ergotism in humans and other mammals consuming seeds contaminated with the fruiting structure of this fungus, called an...
,
saffronSaffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus , a species of crocus in the family Iridaceae. A C. sativus flower bears three stigmas, each the distal end of a carpel. Together with their styles—stalks connecting stigmas to their host plant—stigmas are dried and used in cooking...
and
tansyTansy is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant of the aster family that is native to temperate Europe and Asia. It has been introduced to other parts of the world and, in some areas, has become invasive...
. Typically, the labeling will contraindicate use by pregnant women, but will not contain an explanation for this warning. There is no available data on the efficacy of these plants in humans.
Animal studiesAnimal studies is a recently recognized field in which animals are studied in a variety of cross-disciplinary ways. Scholars from fields as diverse as art history, anthropology, film studies, history, sociology, biology, psychology, literary studies, geography, philosophy and feminism or queer...
have shown the
pomegranateThe pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times...
may be an effective abortifacient.
Pre-implantation labeling controversy
Some substances might prevent implantation and thus destroy the
blastocystThe blastocyst is a structure formed in the early embryogenesis of mammals, after the formation of the morula, but before implantation. It possesses an inner cell mass , or embryoblast, which subsequently forms the embryo, and an outer layer of cells, or trophoblast, which later forms the placenta...
, although their known primary effect is to prevent fertilization. The existence of these post-fertilization mechanisms is debated. There is controversy as to whether pregnancy begins at the moment of
fertilizationFertilisation , is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves a sperm fusing with an ovum, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
, or at the moment the
blastocystThe blastocyst is a structure formed in the early embryogenesis of mammals, after the formation of the morula, but before implantation. It possesses an inner cell mass , or embryoblast, which subsequently forms the embryo, and an outer layer of cells, or trophoblast, which later forms the placenta...
implants in the
uterine lining-Function:The endometrium functions as a lining for the uterus, preventing adhesions between the opposed walls of the myometrium, thereby maintaining the patency of the uterine cavity. During the menstrual cycle or estrous cycle, the endometrium grows to a thick, blood vessel-rich, glandular tissue...
. American federal law and British law mark the beginning of pregnancy at implantation; thus, even if post-fertilization mechanisms were proven, these substances would still be labeled as contraceptives, rather than abortifacients in the United Kingdom and the U.S.
The following birth control methods have been proposed to sometimes prevent implantation of a blastocyst, although (except as noted) they primarily work by preventing fertilization:
- Hormonal contraceptives
Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that act on the endocrine system. Almost all methods are composed of steroid hormones, although in India one selective estrogen receptor modulator is marketed as a contraceptive. The original hormonal method—the combined oral contraceptive...
- Some herbal contraceptives may work primarily by preventing implantation.
- Intrauterine device
An intrauterine device is a long acting reversible contraceptive birth control device placed in the uterus, also known as an IUD or a coil . Dr. Ernst Gräfenberg of Germany invented an early IUD and was the first person to market these devices...
(IUD)
Although not substances, and therefore not technically abortifacients, the following techniques have also been proposed to sometimes prevent implantation of a blastocyst:
- Fertility awareness
Fertility awareness refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods may be used to avoid pregnancy, to achieve pregnancy, or as a way to monitor gynecological health.Methods of identifying infertile days have...
methods — a philosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing these questions by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned...
professor has speculated that intercourse during the less-fertile times of the cycle might create embryos incapable of implanting (due to aged gametes at the time of fertilization).
- The lactational amenorrhea method
The lactational amenorrhea method is a method of avoiding pregnancies which is based on the natural postpartum infertility that occurs when a woman is amenorrheic and fully breastfeeding...
may cause a luteal phaseThe luteal phase is the latter phase of the menstrual cycle or the estrous cycle . It begins with the formation of the corpus luteum and ends in either pregnancy or luteolysis...
defect (LPD). LPD may interfere with the implantation of embryos.
- In vitro fertilization
History
The ancient
GreekAncient Greece is the civilisation belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the...
colony of
CyreneCyrene was an ancient Greek colony in present-day Shahhat; Libya, the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region. It gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times.Cyrene lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar uplands...
at one time had an economy based almost entirely on the production and export of
silphiumSilphium was a plant of the genus Ferula. Generally considered to be an extinct "giant fennel" , it once formed the crux of trade from the ancient city of Cyrene for its use as a rich seasoning and as a medicine...
, a powerful abortifacient in the
parsleyThe Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of usually aromatic plants with hollow stems, commonly known as umbellifers. It includes cumin, parsley, carrot, coriander/cilantro, dill, caraway, fennel, parsnip, celery, Queen Anne's Lace and other relatives. It is a large family with about 300 genera...
family. Silphium figured so prominently in the wealth of Cyrene that the plant appeared on the obverse and reverse of
coinA coin is a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material and sometimes made of synthetic materials, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the...
s minted there. Silphium, which was native only to that part of
LibyaLibya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country located in North Africa...
, was overharvested by the
GreeksGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
and was effectively driven to extinction. The standard theory, however, has been challenged by a whole spectrum of alternatives (from an extinction due to climate factors, to the so-coveted product being in fact a recipe made of a composite of herbs, attribution to a single species meant perhaps as a
disinformationDisinformation is false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. It is synonymous with and sometimes called Black propaganda. It may include the distribution of forged documents, manuscripts, and photographs, or spreading malicious rumors and fabricated intelligence...
attempt).
As
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
and in particular the institution of the
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
Church increasingly influenced European society, those who dispensed abortifacient herbs found themselves classified as witches and were often persecuted (see
witch-huntA witch hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials....
).
Medieval Muslim physicians documented detailed and extensive lists of
birth controlBirth control is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, sexual practices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of pregnancy or childbirth...
practices, including the use of abortifacients, commenting on their effectiveness and prevalence. The use of abortifacients was acceptable to
Islamic juristsUlema refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
provided that the abortion occurs within 120 days, the point when the fetus is considered to become fully human and receive its soul.