Pregnancy Loss Symptoms and Diagnosis Unwanted Pregnancy and Inducing a Miscarriage Never induce a miscarriage. By Krissi Danielsson Krissi Danielsson Krissi Danielsson, MD is a doctor of family medicine and an advocate for those who have experienced miscarriage. Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 23, 2021 Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). He is the director and founding partner of CCRM New York and was named a rising star by Super Doctors from 2017 to 2019. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou / Getty Images Every day, numerous people turn to the internet for information on how to induce or force a miscarriage. In the toughest of circumstances, it can be tempting to want to take matters into your own hands. However, doing so is incredibly dangerous for your health and is never recommended unless supervised by a medical professional. Ending an Unwanted Pregnancy If you are researching how to induce a miscarriage because you have an unwanted pregnancy, please do not risk your health by attempting unsafe methods of ending your pregnancy. Research your options for handling an unplanned pregnancy and find someone who can help you handle the situation safely. There are numerous resources out there, as well as support resources for those without friends and family who can help. If you have decided to end your pregnancy, rather than search for ways to end your pregnancy yourself, look for local women's clinics or a nearby Planned Parenthood. If you state has placed strict restrictions on abortion, you may have to travel beyond state lines for care. Inducing a miscarriage on your own is never a good idea. By trying to induce your own miscarriage, you are not only risking the life of the fetus but your own life as well. Taking foreign pills or overdosing on supplements is dangerous to your health and can have both long- and short-term risks. Procedures performed by those other than a licensed medical professional can also jeopardize your future reproductive health. There is no safe and reliable way to induce a miscarriage without the involvement of a doctor. In dire situations, it may be tempting to follow any "advice" you may see floating around the Internet. However, these seemingly "helpful tips," are not recommended by medical professionals. Differences Between Miscarriage Risk Factors and Miscarriage Causes Speeding Up Miscarriage to Avoid Dilation and Curettage (D&C) If you have been diagnosed with a missed miscarriage or blighted ovum, you may be researching inducing miscarriage in order to avoid a dilation and curettage (D&C), a procedure which removes tissue from your uterus. Unfortunately, there is no safe way to speed up a miscarriage on your own. As mentioned above, there is no safe way to induce your own miscarriage, even if it is inevitable that you are going to miscarry. If your situation involves a missed miscarriage, talk to your doctor about whether you might be able to use a drug like misoprostol to expedite the miscarriage. If you had a silent miscarriage, your body will need time to naturally expel the tissue. How much time it needs will vary from person to person. If the miscarriage was early in your pregnancy, it might take less time than if the miscarriage occurred later. Drugs like misoprostol can help you avoid a D&C as well as avoid waiting for bleeding to begin. Misoprostol should only be used under a physician's supervision due to the risk of heavy bleeding and other side effects. It is not safe to order any of these drugs online or purchase them from nonmedical sources. A Word From Verywell Many people experience feelings of ambivalence when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. If you decide to terminate your pregnancy, you should only do so under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Trying to induce a miscarriage without medical guidance can be dangerous to your health. Terminating a Desired Pregnancy for Medical Reasons or Poor Prognosis 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Singh S, Maddow-Zimet I. Facility-Based Treatment for Medical Complications Resulting From Unsafe Pregnancy Termination in the Developing World, 2012: A Review of Evidence From 26 countries. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2016;123(9):1489-1498. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.13552 Gatter M, Cleland K, Nucatola DL. Efficacy and Safety of Medical Abortion Using Mifepristone and Buccal Misoprostol Through 63 Days. Contraception. 2015;91(4):269-273. DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2015.01.005 By Krissi Danielsson Krissi Danielsson, MD is a doctor of family medicine and an advocate for those who have experienced miscarriage. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit