Medical abortions have become popular in the U. S. Since 2001 with the FDA approval of RU486 for pregnancy between 3 and 7 weeks. Prior to 2001, medical abortions were commonly carried out with methotrexate. Methtrexate was FDA approved in the late 1950’s for treatment of certain cancers. Since then, it has been used to treat psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Methotrexate is known to cause miscarriages and severe fetal abnormalities in the first trimester of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks gestation). Patients diagnosed as being pregnant delay treatment for their particular disease until after delivery, or elect to undergo a termination of pregnancy especially if in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the mid-80’s, there was extensive documented research found in medical literaturethat discussed the treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of uterus). Methotrexate targets and destroys certain parts of the pregnancy tissue (trophoblasts) required for fetal growth. Without the trophoblastic tissue, pregnancy tissue reduces in size and disappears which prevents the need for surgery. It has been observed in patients less than 6 weeks gestation that it takes 25 to 30 days after receiving methotrexate, for the uterus to begin to contract and expel the pregnancy tissue. In order to reduce the length it took to complete this abortion process, cytotec (misoprostol) was added. Cytotec is a prostaglandin known to cause uterine contractions. Changes also occur locally in the cervix (lower part of mother’s womb) allowing the cervix to dilate (open) and become soft which causes the pregnancy tissue to be

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