A few weeks ago, my period was late. My cycle is already extremely irregular, and I practice safe sex, but given the current climate of abortion access… let’s just say I was a little freaked out. While taking pregnancy test after pregnancy test, I scoured the internet for any kind of way to induce my period: the tests said I wasn’t pregnant, but for once in my life, I wanted to have my period — just so I could have peace of mind.
Thankfully, my period came a few days later. But for a lot of people with uteruses, period irregularities can result in weeks-late menstruation, and even skipping a month altogether. People everywhere know the struggle of the late-night Google searches of “am I pregnant?”, “nearest Planned Parenthood”, and “how to make period come faster”. And while you may be tempted to drink a ton of parsley tea or try some other kind of crazy trick to induce your period, there’s an early abortion loophole that we all need to have on our radar: the period pill.
What’s The “Period Pill” And How Does It Work?
If you’re familiar with reproductive health care, you might know a little about the abortion pill. Unlike a medical abortion, the abortion pill can be taken within 10 weeks of pregnancy, and provides an at-home alternative to a medical abortion procedure. The side effects include heavy bleeding and cramping: think of it like a really heavy, intense period.
Your mind might be blown when I tell you this, but the period pill is the exact same as the abortion pill — and it’s called mifepristone. For a pregnancy to develop, your body needs a hormone called progesterone. However, by taking mifepristone (in combination with misoprostol), the production of the hormone is blocked, resulting in the termination of a pregnancy. Oftentimes, these pills have the best success rate when they’re taken early on.
Let’s break this down a little bit. When I was late for my period, I took the initiative to take a pregnancy test to verify that I wasn’t pregnant. Still, I wanted my period to come. If I took a period pill, the progesterone levels in my body would drop — inducing my period and easing my anxious mind.
Here’s where the loophole comes in: let’s say that your period is a few days late, and you’re pregnant. Instead of scanning the internet, stressing over your options, and manifesting for your period to come, you can consult your doctor by saying that your period is a few days late, and you would like it to come again.
In most cases, your doctor can then prescribe you period pills, which will induce your period or terminate a very, very early pregnancy. Taking the pill may not technically be considered an abortion because you never verified whether you were pregnant in the first place. Hello, loophole.
However, there are some legal issues that can arise when it comes to period pills. With that in mind, it’s important to continue educating yourself on the legislation around reproductive health care and, in the future, period pill access.
How Do I Get The Period Pill?
While period pills (IMO) should be a norm, it’s not that simple. While projects like Period Pills are working to provide access to all 50 states, period pills can be accessed via telemedicine in only California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. However, organizations such as Plan C Pills can help those in other states gain access to the period pill through the mail.
As more developments begin to surface in the realm of reproductive health, it’s essential that all of us stay educated on our options. And while period pills are only available in a handful of states, here’s to hoping that more people in the US can have access to a safe, and regulated, menstrual cycle.