As of 2025, there were no Environmental Protection Agency–approved analytical methods for detecting the abortion drug mifepristone and its active metabolites in wastewater.
October 10, 2025
high
technical
Regulatory approval is required for standardized environmental monitoring methods used by or referenced by the EPA.
As of 2025, medication abortion (using abortion pills such as mifepristone) accounted for over 50 percent of abortions and is typically administered at home during the first ten weeks of pregnancy.
October 10, 2025
high
statistical
Medication abortion is a common method of terminating early pregnancy and is generally used in outpatient/home settings within the first trimester.
Mifepristone is an abortion-inducing pharmaceutical that works by blocking the pregnancy hormone progesterone and is commonly used in a two-drug medical abortion regimen with misoprostol; misoprostol is typically taken about 24 hours after mifepristone to induce uterine contractions and expel the pregnancy.
high
medical
Describes the mechanism of action and typical administration timing for the common medical abortion regimen.
U.S. federal law has long prohibited the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs such as mifepristone and misoprostol.
medium
general
Legal context about distribution methods for abortion medications.
Drug labeling for mifepristone and misoprostol indicates that approximately 1 in 25 women who use chemical abortion drugs require emergency room care, and some experience hemorrhaging, infection, or require surgery.
high
general
Safety information reported on medication labeling for medical abortion.
Mifepristone drug labeling states that roughly 1 in 25 women who take chemical abortion drugs end up in the emergency room, and many experience hemorrhaging, infection, or require surgery.
high
statistical
Safety information as stated on mifepristone product labeling