Now, however, there's something new that is supposed to make abortion easier. But at the same time, it's actually made some things more difficult. It's the abortion-inducing pill mifepristone--also known as RU-486, which was approved for sale in the US back in September. This is the much touted abortion pill that was developed in France almost two decades ago. Does it make it easier on a woman to take a pill instead of undergoing a surgical procedure? How do doctors feel about handing out this controversial abortion method?

It will be a long time before there are any definitive answers. But here are some of the facts and issues connected with the abortion pill.

How it works

The abortion pill should not be confused with the morning-after pill which prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall. Taking the abortion pill actually requires three visits to the doctor over a period of two weeks. The first visit, according to Time magazine, is to make sure the pregnancy is still early enough to use the abortion pill safely. That means you must suspect that you're pregnant no more than 35 days from the time you miss your period.

The next step is receiving two sets of pills and instructions on how to take them and what to expect. Mifepristone, the first pill taken within the first seven weeks of pregnancy, causes miscarriage by blocking the hormone progesterone, needed to maintain a pregnancy. Forty-eight hours later, a woman takes a second drug called misoprostol, which forces the uterus to contract. The fetus is expelled several hours later. Women have likened the experience to having a bad period. What they expel are usually large, unidentifiable clots of blood.

The third visit to the doctor is to make sure that the abortion is complete--that the pill worked and that there is no remaining tissue, which would require surgical intervention. The abortion pills cost about $200, and, if taken within 49 days of the last period, they are 95 percent effective.

"One big advantage of the two-drug combo," writes Nancy Gibbs for Time, "is that it can terminate an unwanted pregnancy earlier than most surgical procedures. And because surgery is not required, the risk of infection is lower."

Yet there are some problems. About two percent of women experience excessive bleeding. Others suffer from nausea or diarrhea during the course of the regiment. Indeed, for some women it is faster to just go and have the surgery rather than make three visits to the doctor. The abortion pill is not recommended for women with bleeding disorders or women who smoke more than ten cigarettes a day.

The issues for doctors

Probably the worst aspect of the abortion pill is how doctors feel about it. Any family physician or ob-gyn can now prescribe the drug, provided that he or she has a surgical back-up arrangement if it fails to end the pregnancy or if there are complications. Some doctors are starting to think it's actually easier, logistically, to perform the surgery and be able to monitor the results, rather than send a woman home on her own with the pills. Many women don't come in for the third check-up visit--and doctors feel they may be legally liable to them.

In addition, many doctors are getting a lot of heat from the pro-life movement which says this new treatment option will only increase the number of abortions. (In France, the abortion pill did not increase the overall number of abortions, but did increase the number of early abortions.)

Many doctors even fear violence from anti-abortionists.

Where to go from here

The right to choose has never been an easy one. And now the choice between two methods will be easier for some; harder for others. The bottom line for women who want to end an unwanted pregnancy seems to be the same, though: a thorough discussion with her partner, physician, and most important--with herself.