logo
Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
Brief Publisher Logo
FACT BRIEF

Are medication abortion pills ineffective for people over a certain weight?

By Austin Tannenbaum
Copy link
email
Copy featured image
email
NO

According to abortion rights advocate Reproaction, medication abortion pills, which are FDA-approved to terminate a pregnancy within the first ten weeks, are effective regardless of a person's weight.

Reproaction clarified that the efficacy of certain types of emergency contraception does decrease after weight thresholds are exceeded:

"Progestin-only pills containing levonorgestrel such as Plan B or My Way will be less effective for bodies over 155 lbs. Pills containing ulipristal acetate, such as ella, will be less effective for bodies over 195 lbs."

For those over the above weight limits, Reproaction noted that copper IUDs "have no weight restriction and are the most effective form of emergency contraception if inserted up to five days after unprotected intercourse."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Reproaction Six Things You Should Know About Abortion Pills
Axios Abortion pills become central issue after SCOTUS ruling
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
FACT BRIEF BY
Brief Publisher Logo
Latest fact briefs
facebook
twitter
email
email
About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.