An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. Abortificants for animals that have mated undesirably are known as mismating shots. For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... IT FEELS REALLY GOOD IF YOU IMATATE THE ANIMALS. LOL! “Mounting” redirects here. ...

Common abortifacients are mifepristone and misoprostol. In addition, there are several herbal mixtures with abortifacient claims, but, however, there is no available data on the efficacy of these plants in humans. Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. ... Misoprostol is a drug that is United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers. ...

Pharmaceutical abortifacients

Mifepristone, a progesterone receptor competitive antagonist, was first approved in 1988 under the trade name Mifegyne for medical termination of early pregnancy in conjunction with a prostaglandin analogue. Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, is marketed under the trade name Mifegyne in France and countries other than the U.S., and under the trade name Mifeprex in the U.S. Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid compound used as a pharmaceutical. ... The progesterone receptor is an intracellular steroid receptor that specifically binds progesterone. ... A competitive antagonist is a receptor antagonist which binds to a receptor but fails to activate it. ... Synthetic prostaglandin analogues, mainly misoprostol, are used in treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers. ...

Misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin E₁ (PGE₁) analogue, was first approved in 1988 under the trade name Cytotec for reducing the risk of NSAID-induced gastric ulcers. Misoprostol is approved in France under the trade name GyMiso for use with mifepristone for medical abortion. Misoprostol is used off-label with mifepristone for medical abortion in the U.S. Misoprostol is a drug that is United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers. ... E1 - Alprostadil I2 - Prostacyclin A prostaglandin is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived enzymatically from fatty acids and have important functions in the animal body. ... Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually abbreviated to NSAIDs, are drugs with analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects - they reduce pain, fever and inflammation. ... Off-label use is the practice of prescribing drugs for a purpose outside the scope of the drugs approved label, most often concerning the drugs indication. ...

Misoprostol alone is sometimes used for self-induced abortion in Latin American countries where legal abortion is not available, and by some people in the United States who cannot afford a legal abortion. A self-induced abortion is an abortion that a pregnant woman causes herself to have without direct medical aid. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

Herbal abortifacients

Many herbs and plants sold "over the counter" today are claimed by herbalists to act as abortifacients if taken in certain doses or mixtures. Examples include brewer's yeast,^[1] vitamin C,^[2] wild carrot, black cohosh, slippery elm, pennyroyal, nutmeg, mugwort, papaya, vervain, common rue, and tansy. Typically, the labeling will contraindicate use by pregnant women, but will not contain an explanation for this warning. There is no available data on the efficacy of these plants in humans. Some animal studies have found some of them to be effective.^[3][4] The use of herbs to induce abortion should be avoided due to the risk of serious side effects. Brewers yeast (also known as brewers yeast or brewing yeast) can mean any live yeast used in brewing. ... This article is about the nutrient. ... Binomial name Daucus carota Species Daucus carota Wild carrot or Queen Annes lace, Daucus carota, is the ancestor of the domesticated carrot of Europe, widely introduced in North America. ... Binomial name Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. ... Binomial name Ulmus rubra Muhl. ... Binomial name L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... For other uses, see Nutmeg (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Artemisia vulgaris L. Mugwort or Common Wormwood (Artemisia vulgaris) is a species from the daisy family Asteraceae. ... Binomial name Carica papaya L. The papaya (from Carib via Spanish), is the fruit of the tree Carica papaya, in the genus Carica. ... Species About 250 species, including: Verbena alata Verbena bonariensis Verbena bracteata Verbena brasiliensis Verbena canadensis Verbena carolina Verbena corymbosa Verbena elegans Verbena gracilis Verbena hastata Verbena hispida Verbena incisa Verbena laciniata Verbena lasiostachys Verbena macdougallii Verbena menthifolia Verbena officinalis Verbena peruviana Verbena phlogiflora Verbena rigida Verbena robusta Verbena runyonii Verbena... Look up rue in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Binomial name L. Illustration of a tansy Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the aster family that is native to temperate Europe and Asia. ... For other uses, see Animal testing (disambiguation). ...

Pre-implantation labeling controversy

Some substances might prevent implantation and thus destroy the blastocyst, although their known primary effect is to prevent fertilization. The existence of these post-fertilization mechanisms is debated.^[5] There is controversy as to whether pregnancy begins at the moment of fertilization, or at the moment the blastocyst implants in the uterine lining. American federal law and British law mark the beginning of pregnancy at implantation; thus, even if post-fertilization mechanisms were proven, these substances would still be labeled as contraceptives, rather than abortifacients. Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy usually occurs in the context of the abortion debate. ... This article is about fertilisation in animals and plants. ... The blastocyst is an early stage of the human (or any other mammal) development early in pregnancy. ... The endometrium is the inner membrane of the mammalian uterus. ...

The following birth control methods have been proposed to sometimes prevent implantation of a blastocyst, although (except as noted) they primarily work by preventing fertilization:

• Hormonal contraceptives^[5]
• Intrauterine device (IUD)^[6]
• Some herbal contraceptives may work primarily by preventing implantation.^[7]

Although not substances, and therefore not technically abortifacients, the following birth control methods have also been proposed to sometimes prevent implantation of a blastocyst: Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that act on the hormonal system. ... This article is about non-hormonally-based intrauterine contraceptives. ...

• The lactational amenorrhea method may cause a luteal phase defect (LPD). LPD may interfere with the implantation of embryos.^[8]
• Fertility awareness methods — a philosophy professor has speculated that intercourse during the less-fertile times of the cycle might create embryos incapable of implanting (due to aged gametes at the time of fertilization).^[9]

Natural family planning (NFP), sometimes described as periodic abstinence, is a form of birth control that involves recognizing the natural signs in a womans fertility. ... The luteal phase is the latter phase of the estrous cycle in animals. ... Fertility Awareness (FA) is the practice of observing one or more of a woman’s primary fertility signs to determine the fertile and infertile phases of her menstrual cycle. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ...

History

The ancient Greek colony of Cyrene at one time had an economy based almost entirely on the production and export of silphium, a powerful abortifacient in the parsley family. Silphium figured so prominently in the wealth of Cyrene that the plant appeared on the obverse and reverse of coins minted there. Silphium, which was native only to that part of Libya, was overharvested by the Greeks and was effectively driven to extinction. The standard theory, however, has been challenged by a whole spectrum of alternatives (from an extinction due to climate factors, to the so-coveted product being in fact a recipe made of a composite of herbs, attribution to a single species meant perhaps as a disinformation attempt). Cyrene, the ancient Greek city (in present-day Libya) was the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region and gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times. ... Ancient silver coin from Cyrene depicting a stalk of Silphium. ... Genera See text Ref: Hortiplex 2003-11-14 The Apiaceae, the carrot or parsley family, are a family of usually aromatic plants with hollow stems, including parsley, carrot, and other relatives. ... This article is about monetary coins. ... Disinformation, in the context of espionage, military intelligence, and propaganda, is the spreading of deliberately false information to mislead an enemy as to ones position or course of action. ...

As Christianity and in particular the institution of the Catholic Church increasingly influenced European society, those who dispensed abortifacient herbs found themselves classified as witches and were often persecuted (see witch-hunt). ^[10] Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Witchcraft. ... A witch-hunt is a search for suspected witches; it is a type of moral panic. ...

References

1. ^ King's American Dispensatory of 1898
2. ^ A Woman's Book of Choices: Abortion, Menstrual Extraction, RU-486 by Rebecca Chalker and Carol Downer
3. ^ Riddle, John M. (1992). Contraception and Abortion from the Ancient World to the Renaissance. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
4. ^ Riddle, John M. (1997). Eve's Herbs: A History of Contraception and Abortion in the West. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
5. ^ ^{a b} (May 2005) "Article Emergency Contraception's Mode of Action Clarified". Population Briefs 11 (2). Population Council. Retrieved on 2007-07-08. 
   Crockett, Susan A.; Harrison, Donna; DeCook, Joe; Hersh, Camilla (1999). Hormone Contraceptives Controversies and Clarifications.. American Association of Pro Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
   Alcorn, Randy (2004). Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?. Eternal Perspective Ministries. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
6. ^ Stanford J, Mikolajczyk R (2002). "Mechanisms of action of intrauterine devices: update and estimation of postfertilization effects". Am J Obstet Gynecol 187 (6): 1699-708. PMID 12501086. , which cites:

   Smart Y, Fraser I, Clancy R, Roberts T, Cripps A (1982). "Early pregnancy factor as a monitor for fertilization in women wearing intrauterine devices". Fertil Steril 37 (2): 201-4. PMID 6174375. 

7. ^ Sharma MM, Lal G, Jacob D (1976). "Estrogenic and pregnancy interceptory effects of carrot daucus carota seeds". Indian J. Exp. Biol. 14 (4): 506-8. PMID 992821. 
8. ^ Díaz S, Cárdenas H, Brandeis A, Miranda P, Salvatierra A, Croxatto H (1992). "Relative contributions of anovulation and luteal phase defect to the reduced pregnancy rate of breastfeeding women.". Fertil Steril 58 (3): 498-503. PMID 1521642. 
9. ^ Bovens, Luc (2006). "The rhythm method and embryonic death". J Med Ethics 32 (6): 355-6. PMID 16731736. 
10. ^ Kramer, Heinrich, & Sprenger, Jacob. (1487). Malleus Maleficarum. (Montague Summers, Trans.). Retrieved June 3, 2006.