In September of last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the second edition of the ‘Guidelines on Abortion Care’. The only update was regarding the regulation of conscientious objection. Observation notes were added to Recommendation 22 on the importance of states reformulating their regulations on the exercise of conscientious objection to ensure the human rights of pregnant women/people.
Additionally, in September 2025, WHO published the 24th list of essential medicines. For the first time, the abortifacient drugs mifepristone and misoprostol are listed without any restrictions on their use – that is, they can be used without supervision from a healthcare team up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and in any context, regardless of the legal status of abortion. The unrestricted use of these medicines aligns with WHO’s recommendation that abortion should be decriminalised worldwide.
The WHO mife-miso guidelines provide a comprehensive approach to the medical management of abortion, including the use of mifepristone and misoprostol. These guidelines are based on the latest research and recommendations from the FIGO Committee on Safe Abortion. The 2023 mifepristone and misoprostol dosing charts detail recommended dosages for various obstetrical indications, including induced abortion, missed abortion, incomplete abortion, cervical preparation before aspiration and D&E, fetal demise, induction of labor, prophylaxis and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage. The charts have been revised and expanded to include the latest evidence and recommendations. (Figo)
FIGO Mifepristone & Misoprostol and Misoprostol Only Dosing Charts 2023
An update from the widely used 2017 guidance, the December 2023 charts detail recommended dosages of mifepristone and misoprostol when used for a variety obstetrical indications, including induced abortion, missed abortion, incomplete abortion, cervical preparation before aspiration and D&E, fetal demise, induction of labour, prophylaxis and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage.
The charts were revised and expanded by the FIGO Committee on Safe Abortion. They are available for download at the above link in English, French and Spanish.
See also the WHO pocket-guide-management-medical-abortion.pdf:
