Abortion Pill
Surgical Abortion
Booking a Consultation
What to Expect
STI Testing
Abortion Pill by Post
Contraception
Abortion Aftercare
Abortion Counselling
NHS & Private Abortion
Abortion in Northern Ireland
lnternational Patients
Termination For Medical Reasons
Advice for Partners
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbortion pills by post is a safe and legal way to have an abortion at under 10 weeks of pregnancy.
The NUPAS abortion pills by post service allows our patients to take the medical abortion pills at home without having to attend a clinic.
What is the Process for Getting Abortion Pills Delivered?
Step 1: Contact NUPAS by calling 0333 004 6666 or via our contact form
Step 2: A member of our team will arrange a consultation appointment for you. This will be a telephone appointment. The appointment will be within the next couple of days at a time that suits you.
During your consultation we will ask you questions to fully assess your situation. This will involve taking a full medical history and the date of your last period. We will also complete a safeguarding assessment. At the end of the consultation, we will assess if taking the pills at home is suitable for you. We may invite you to visit a clinic for a face-to-face clinical assessment.
Find out more about our abortion consultations.
Step 3: If taking the pills at home is suitable for you, you can choose:
- If you want the medication posted to your home address.
- If you want to collect the medication from one of our clinics.
What Happens if Abortion Pills by Post is not Suitable?
We will always check if it will be safe for you to have the pills posted to your house, and for you to take them at home. If it is not medically safe for you to take the abortion pills at home, we will discuss other treatment options with you during your consultation and clinical assessment.
If you do need to visit us at a clinic for your treatment, we have clinics across the North West, Midlands, South East and Yorkshire.
What Will I Get in the Post?
If using our abortion pills by post service, you will receive a treatment pack in the post. This will have plain packaging and will not mention what the contents are.
Inside the package will be your abortion pills. Your pack will contain:
- 1 Mifepristone pill
- 4 Misoprostol pills + an additional 2 misoprostol pills for use if needed
- Codeine phosphate tablets for pain relief (as long as you are suitable to take)
- Information booklet showing how to use the pills and details of our aftercare line.
- Contraception leaflet.
- STI kit if you have consented to screening.
- Condom.
- Pregnancy testing kit
The pregnancy test is to be used 3 weeks after your abortion to check that the treatment has been successful. The pregnancy test in your pack is different from the tests you can buy at a shop or pharmacy. Please use the test we provide.
A reputable third party courier will deliver your package, it may take 2-3 days. The packaging is discrete with no mention of the content inside. Everything you need for an at-home abortion is in the contents of your parcel.
It is illegal to use abortion pills purchased online and you can be prosecuted for doing so. The Abortion Act of 1967 requires the consent and signatures from two Doctors for someone to have a legal abortion.
You should not have to endanger your health and freedom by obtaining abortion pills online. Get in contact with an abortion provider like us if you require a medical abortion so we can go over your alternatives.
The morning after pill is an emergency contraceptive that is taken following unprotected sex, to prevent fertilisation. When taken correctly, the morning after pill can prevent pregnancy. The morning after pill can only be taken within a specific timeframe after unprotected sex.
Unprotected sex means, having sex without a correctly used condom or contraceptive method risking fertilisation and subsequent pregnancy.
An already-fertilised egg is terminated during an abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol pills. This medical treatment is done while a woman is pregnant. The purpose of an abortion is to end a pregnancy after you have already become pregnant.
It is not usual to have no bleeding, scant bleeding or flooding during a medical abortion.
Call our patient support Line on 0333 016 0400 if:
- You do not bleed at all or only have spotting or scant bleeding 48 hours after taking the Misoprostol pills (see Scant image).
- You have heavy bleeding that soaks 2 heavy-flow sanitary pads per hour for more than 2 hours in a row (see Heavy image).
How to use the Abortion Pills at Home
Our treatment pack comes with an instruction leaflet. This leaflet gives full details on how and when to take the pills.
When using medical abortion pills, it is important to leave 24 - 48 hours between taking the first pill (Mifepristone) and the second pills (Misoprostol).
Bleeding usually begins around 2 hours after taking the second pills. There will also be some pain and cramping. Most people will not bleed after taking the first pill. The abortion usually takes place between 2 - 12 hours after taking the second pills. You can make a plan for when you will take the second pills for a day when you can stay at home and be as comfortable as possible.
It is also important to take the first pill before you are 10 weeks pregnant.
The first pill (Mifepristone):
This tablet is swallowed with a glass of water.
If you vomit within 90 minutes of taking the first pill you must let us know. Please phone 0333 016 0400 as soon as possible. You may need to take another tablet.
The second pills (Misoprostol):
After waiting 24 - 48-hours, you will take 4 Misoprostol pills.
We recommend taking pain relief such as ibuprofen or paracetamol 10 minutes before the Misoprostol pills. The best pain relief for you will depend on your medical history.
4 tablets are inserted into the vagina, tablets in the vagina will dissolve on their own. Alternatively, you can place the tablets in the mouth, between your cheek and gums to dissolve for 30 minutes before swallowing any remainder with water.
3 Hours after your first dose of Misoprostol, if you are feeling well but have had no bleeding or only light spotting, you should use the additional 2 Misoprostol pills in your treatment pack. You can insert them into your vagina or in your mouth between your cheek and gums to dissolve as before.
Find out more about how to take abortion pills from our useful Abortion Guide Booklet.
How is this Different from Taking the First Pill in the Clinic?
We designed our abortion pills by post service to be as similar as possible to a medical abortion clinic appointment. The only thing that is different is where you take the pills.
It is important to remember that you can contact us throughout your treatment. When you receive your pills, there will be a phone number included to call if you want to speak to someone about your treatment. This phone line is nurse-led and here to support you.
What to Expect After Taking the Pills
Find out more about medical abortions, what to expect and the possible risks and side effects:
Legal reminder about prescription medication
In the UK it is illegal to give medicine prescribed to you to anyone else. If the abortion pills are prescribed to you, it would be illegal to pass them on to someone else for them to use.
This should never stop you or anyone else from seeking medical help if you need it.
If you do not use the abortion medication, please contact us about how to safely dispose of the pills.
You can self-refer for a medical abortion. Call us to book a consultation.
