General Question

luigirovatti's avatar

Without asking for any professional advice, is a description of a medicine written about in a novel I read true (I'd like to know)?

Asked by luigirovatti (3001points) May 25th, 2020

misoprostol: drug used to start labor, used in conjunction with mifepristone, it’s effective in bringing about abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy. Taken by mouth, it’s safe to use until the 49th day of pregnancy, after which it brings serious risks for the mother.
Source: The Wives, by Tarryn Fisher.

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3 Answers

SEKA's avatar

This what Wiki says on the subject.

kritiper's avatar

It’s listed in my Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th. ed. as you said. Not in that exact detail, which is probably correct.

Cupcake's avatar

I’m not a physician or pharmacist, but that that seems correct. It is what I teach my students. I know it’s used on the Labor and Delivery unit to induce labor (I’ve had it myself) and given to induce abortion.

I have slight concern over “serious risks for the mother”. I am not aware of any maternal side-effects that are dangerous. Dangerous to a wanted pregnancy if taken before 38 weeks, but that is a fetal side effect, not maternal.

It is apparently also given for stomach ulcers (https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-6111/misoprostol-oral/details), so I would be surprised if it has “serious risks”. Again, I think they are talking about the fetus, not mother.

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