Recorded on 19 October 2023 for ICMDA Webinars.

Philippa Taylor chairs a webinar with Dr Chris Cirucci.

Chemical (or medication) abortion is typically accomplished with mifepristone and misoprostol. It is now the most common method of induced abortion. Although often perceived as safe, it has higher complication rates than surgical abortion, and particular complications are inherent in chemical abortion. Chemical abortion is often touted as a do-it-yourself method, and the pills are easily accessible online.

This talk will review the data on the complications of chemical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol and discuss the issues inherent with women self-managing their abortions without medical supervision.

Christina A. Cirucci M.D. is a board-certified OB/GYN and long-time member of AAPLOG. She earned a B.S in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech and worked in the engineering field for seven years before pursuing a medical career. She received her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and completed her OB/GYN residency at the Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Cirucci then joined a private OB/GYN practice in Pittsburgh, where she worked for twenty years. Dr. Cirucci has volunteered her medical skills in various third-world countries in Africa and Asia and has made multiple trips to volunteer at Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh. Dr. Cirucci has a heart for the life of the unborn and joined the board of AAPLOG in 2021.