Jamaican Women Using Ulcer Medication As Abortion Pill
JAMAICA — An article on The Grio touches on a frightening new trend of Jamaican women using preventative stomach ulcer medication to abort unwanted pregnancies.
Cytotec — the generic name for Misoprostol — is supposed to be accessible only by prescription. But according to reports the drug is being sold in markets and pharmacies around the country.
Demand for the so-called “abortion pill” has grown in recent years as women have learned about it from referrals or word of mouth. While the proper dosage for Cytotec is one pill per day, women seeking to terminate unwanted pregnancies take up to four or five pills in an hour. Without a doctor’s aid the women often take their instruction from the vendor, often non-medical professionals, that sell them the pill.
While doctors officially denounced Cytotec’s use as an abortion pill, they also point out that it is still a safer alternative to the risky back door terminations women may otherwise turn to.
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