Date posted: 3-8-01

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NIU will not offer abortion pill

By Stephanie Christian

DeKalb News Service

DeKALB-- The abortion pill RU-486 will not be available to students at NIU Health Services.

The drug, also known as Mifeprex, is used to terminate pregnancy during the first seven weeks.

NIU did not have to make a decision about carrying the pill, because the Food and Drug Administration limited its use to facilities trained in providing surgical abortions. NIU Health Services does not perform such procedures, and therefore the drug will not be offered on campus.

Larger universities with medical schools that are equipped to deal with any complications that may arise would be more likely to offer the abortion pill, said Beverly Espe, assistant director for NIU Health Services. She said, however, most university health services would not carry it.

According to CNN (www.cnn.com/2000.Health/02/18/ru486), after a physical examination, pregnancy test and ultrasound to determine pregnancy date, the woman is given a Mifepristone pill in the office. Within 72 hours, Misoprostol is taken and a follow-up visit two weeks later is required to verify the abortion.

Surgical abortions are not performed in DeKalb County. Students wanting the abortion pill are referred to centers such as the Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford. RU-486 became available at the Rockford center about the beginning of this year, a representative said. Since its arrival she hasn't noticed a large demand and attributes it to either a preference for surgical abortions or a lack of awareness of the new drug.

Espe said some of the advantages to the new drug may be its confidentiality and the less invasiveness of the procedure compared to surgical abortions. The potential side effects associated with RU-486 are bleeding, nausea and cramping, similar to a natural miscarriage, she said.

Under the NIU student and faculty health insurance plan, surgical abortions are covered. Students are covered under the plan at other centers that offer the procedure. The student health insurance plan does not cover prescriptions; therefore RU-486 will not be covered, said Regina Crosby, student insurance manager.

Source list:
· New York Times, May 25, 2000
· Beverly Espe, assistant director for Health Services, 753-9744
· Regina Crosby, student insurance manager,753-9575
· Northern Illinois Women's Center, Rockford, 815/963-4101
· Northern Star, Vanessa Franada, September 29, 2000
· www.cnn.com/2000/Health/02/18/ru486