# Mifepristone in Nigeria

Mifepristone has 2 active NAFDAC registrations in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 2 registration holders; 2 further listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/mifepristone/
- Drug class: Progesterone receptor antagonist (antiprogestogen) (Reproductive Health)
- Also known as: Mifepristone-misoprostol combipack, Mariprist, Evabon, RU-486, Antiprogestogen
- Prescription required: yes
- On the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
- Last updated: October 2026

## Price in Nigeria

Our sampled online pharmacies hold no mifepristone listing, so we quote no price: the registered products are combipacks supplied through hospitals, gynaecology clinics and reproductive-health organisations rather than sold off the shelf. Cost is usually part of a facility's fee for managing a miscarriage or incomplete abortion, and a pack offered loose, cheaply, by a street or online seller is the pack to refuse.

## What is Mifepristone?

Mifepristone is an antiprogestogen: it blocks progesterone, the hormone that keeps the lining of the womb in place during pregnancy. Given first, it loosens the pregnancy from the womb wall and softens the cervix; misoprostol, given one to two days later, then makes the womb contract and empty. The two together are the World Health Organization's standard regimen for medical management of early pregnancy loss and of abortion where it is lawful, and both are on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines.

In Nigeria mifepristone is registered almost entirely as a combipack with misoprostol: one 200 mg mifepristone tablet packed with four 200 mcg misoprostol tablets. Our copy of the NAFDAC register holds two such packs with Active registrations — Mariprist, held by MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, and Evabon, held by Aurora Pharmaceuticals — and two older entries, Mifabon and the single-ingredient Cezera 200 mg tablet, whose registrations have expired. It is a prescription-only medicine supplied through hospitals, gynaecology clinics and reproductive-health organisations, not an over-the-counter product.

The law matters here. Abortion in Nigeria is a criminal offence under both the Criminal Code (southern states) and the Penal Code (northern states) except to save the life of the woman, and this page does not advise anyone on obtaining one. What the register does establish is that mifepristone itself is lawfully registered, because it has lawful uses: managing a miscarriage that has not completed on its own, and post-abortion care, both of which Nigerian hospitals provide. Ogbogwu lists no sellers for it and takes no requests for it.

## What is Mifepristone used for?

- Missed miscarriage and incomplete miscarriage in the first trimester, with misoprostol, as an alternative to surgical evacuation
- Post-abortion care — completing the emptying of the womb after an incomplete or unsafe abortion, to prevent infection and bleeding
- Cervical preparation before some surgical gynaecological procedures
- Medical abortion, only where the law permits it and only under medical supervision

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: Always under a doctor who has confirmed by scan or examination that the pregnancy is inside the womb and estimated how far along it is. For early pregnancy loss and for medical abortion under 12 weeks, the WHO regimen is one 200 mg mifepristone tablet by mouth, followed 24 to 48 hours later by 800 mcg of misoprostol (the four 200 mcg tablets in the combipack) placed in the cheek, under the tongue or in the vagina as the clinician directs. Bleeding and cramping usually begin within a few hours of the misoprostol and the womb empties over the following one to two days. A follow-up visit or scan one to two weeks later confirms it is complete.
- Children: Not applicable. Any pregnancy in a girl under 18 needs a doctor and, in Nigeria, the involvement of a hospital's gynaecology team.
- Elderly: Not applicable.

Mifepristone is never a stand-alone treatment — without the misoprostol that follows it, the womb frequently does not empty. It does not work for an ectopic pregnancy (one outside the womb), which is a surgical emergency: this is why a scan or careful examination comes first. Women who are Rhesus-negative may need an anti-D injection. Pain relief with ibuprofen or paracetamol is normal and expected.

## Side effects

Common: Cramping and period-like pain, often strong, for several hours after the misoprostol; Bleeding heavier than a period for a few hours, then lighter bleeding or spotting for one to two weeks; Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, dizziness; Fever or chills for a few hours after misoprostol — usually from the misoprostol itself, not infection.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Heavy bleeding — soaking two or more large pads an hour for two hours in a row — needs urgent hospital care; Fever above 38°C lasting more than 24 hours, foul-smelling discharge or worsening pain after the first day: possible infection or retained tissue; Severe one-sided pain, fainting or shoulder-tip pain: a possible ectopic pregnancy, which these tablets do not treat; Allergic reaction: rash, swelling of the face or lips, difficulty breathing.

When to see a doctor: Go to a hospital the same day for heavy bleeding as described above, fainting, fever beyond the first day, severe or one-sided pain, or if no bleeding has started within 24 hours of taking the misoprostol. Attend the follow-up appointment even if everything seems fine — an incomplete miscarriage can be silent until it causes infection.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Suspected or confirmed ectopic pregnancy, or a pregnancy that has not been confirmed to be in the womb; An intrauterine device (IUD) still in place — it must be removed first; Chronic adrenal failure, or long-term corticosteroid treatment; Bleeding disorders or treatment with blood-thinning medicines; Inherited porphyria; known allergy to mifepristone or to prostaglandins (misoprostol); Anywhere the woman cannot reach emergency care for heavy bleeding within an hour or two.

Interactions: Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, ritonavir) can raise mifepristone levels; strong inducers (rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, St John's wort) can lower them; Blood thinners (warfarin, rivaroxaban) and antiplatelets add to the bleeding risk; Long-term corticosteroids — mifepristone blocks their effect; doses may need adjusting; Non-steroidal painkillers such as ibuprofen do not reduce its effect and are the usual pain relief alongside it.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Mifepristone ends a pregnancy; it must never be taken by a woman who intends to continue one, and if a pregnancy continues after an incomplete course the risk of harm to the baby means specialist follow-up is essential. Small amounts pass into breast milk; WHO advice is that breastfeeding need not be interrupted, though some clinicians advise expressing and discarding milk for the first few hours after the dose.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Mariprist (MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices Ltd/Gte, made in India); Evabon (Aurora Pharmaceuticals Nig Ltd, made in India); Mifabon Combipack (Divine Care Pharmaceutical Ltd, made in India); Cezera (Dony-Triumph and Company Nigeria Limited, made in India).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/mifepristone/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the pack for a NAFDAC registration number. In our copy of the register, Mariprist combipack carries B4-6871 and Evabon A4-101738, both Active
2. Mifabon Combipack (B4-9892) and the single Cezera 200 mg tablet (A4-7784) are recorded as Expired — a pack carrying either number should be confirmed on the official Greenbook before it is dispensed
3. Enter the number in our free NAFDAC checker and confirm the product name, holder and composition (one 200 mg mifepristone tablet, four 200 mcg misoprostol tablets) match the pack
4. This medicine is dispensed in facilities. A combipack sold loose by a street vendor, a social-media seller or a patent-medicine shop — the setting in which most counterfeit and expired packs change hands — should be refused regardless of what the number says

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is mifepristone registered with NAFDAC in Nigeria?

Yes. Our copy of the NAFDAC register lists two mifepristone-misoprostol combipacks with Active registrations: Mariprist (B4-6871, MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices) and Evabon (A4-101738, Aurora Pharmaceuticals). Two older entries, Mifabon and the Cezera 200 mg tablet, have expired. Check the number printed on your pack against its own record in our NAFDAC checker.

### Is mifepristone legal in Nigeria?

The medicine is lawfully registered because it has lawful uses: managing a miscarriage that has not completed, and post-abortion care, both provided in Nigerian hospitals. Abortion itself is a criminal offence in Nigeria except to save the woman's life. This page describes a registered medicine and its safe use under a doctor; it does not advise on obtaining an abortion, and Ogbogwu lists no sellers and takes no requests for it.

### What is the difference between mifepristone and misoprostol?

They do different jobs and are used together. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, loosening the pregnancy from the womb and softening the cervix; misoprostol, taken one to two days later, makes the womb contract and empty. Misoprostol alone is also used for other things — preventing bleeding after childbirth, inducing labour, treating stomach ulcers — which is why it has its own page and many more registered brands. Mifepristone has no use on its own in Nigeria.

### Can I buy mifepristone in a pharmacy?

It is prescription-only and in practice is supplied through hospitals, gynaecology clinics and reproductive-health organisations, not stocked on pharmacy shelves. The right path for a suspected miscarriage, bleeding in early pregnancy or pain after an abortion is a hospital, where the pregnancy can be located by scan first — the step that makes the tablets safe.

### What happens after taking the tablets?

Usually little after the mifepristone itself. A few hours after the misoprostol, cramps and bleeding heavier than a period begin and the womb empties over one to two days; lighter bleeding can continue for up to two weeks. Strong period-type pain is expected and ibuprofen or paracetamol helps. Bleeding that soaks two large pads an hour for two hours, a fever beyond the first day, or severe one-sided pain are reasons to go to hospital immediately.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)