Indian woman dies after taking abortion drugs given by cousin

An 18-year-old woman in India has reportedly died after taking abortion drugs allegedly supplied by her 25-year-old cousin, who is said to be the baby's father. Police reported that the young woman had anemia, which is a contraindication for abortion drugs due to the increased risk of bleeding.

Key Takeaways:

• A woman in India has died after allegedly taking abortion drugs supplied by her older cousin, with whom she was having a relationship.

• After taking the drugs, the woman began experiencing a health issue and was transported to a hospital. When her health continued to decline, she was moved to a different hospital, where she later died.

• Police said the woman had anemia, which is a contraindication for the abortion pill, meaning that the chance of suffering an adverse reaction to the abortion drugs would increase.

• This woman's death is a tragic example of the dangers of the abortion pill by mail.

The Details:

After the woman's death, her father filed a complaint against his 25-year-old nephew, stating that the nephew was having a relationship with the young woman. It is unclear when the relationship began or if the victim was a minor at the time. When the young woman became pregnant, the cousin allegedly gave her the abortion drugs. It is unclear how he obtained them.

After taking the drugs, the victim began experiencing unspecified health concerns and was brought to the district hospital in Noida. When her health declined, she was sent to Safdarjung Hospital for further treatment, but ultimately, she died on December 23. According to police, the woman had anemia.

Though it is unclear what drugs the woman was given, anemia is a contraindication for the abortion pill mifepristone. Other risks of the abortion pill mifepristone include heavy bleeding and hemorrhage, and anemia would therefore serve to increase those risks. As explained by Waterleaf, a pregnancy resource for women, "The abortion pill works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for maintaining a pregnancy. This causes the pregnancy to detach from the uterine wall, often resulting in bleeding—sometimes heavy bleeding.... For someone with anemia, this blood loss can be especially dangerous. Here’s why: When you bleed, you lose red blood cells and, consequently, hemoglobin. If you’re already anemic, you have less “reserve” hemoglobin to start with. This means that even a normal amount of bleeding can quickly lead to a critical shortage of oxygen-carrying capacity in your blood."

In addition, anemia causes a reduction in oxygen delivery to vital organs.

According to a police official, the case was filed as an "act done with the intent to cause a miscarriage," and the accused was taken into custody.

Why It Matters:

This tragedy is a sober reminder of how tele‑abortion and easy abortion drug access can normalize the use of potentially life-threatening abortion drugs away from medical oversight. In many places, abortion drugs can be procured through informal channels, online orders, or third parties, resulting in women having to self‑diagnose, self‑screen for contraindications like anemia, and manage heavy bleeding on their own without immediate help. 

Also, tele‑abortion models can make it more challenging for clinicians to detect warning signs of abuse, coercion, or concealed health problems, as there are fewer opportunities for private, in‑person conversations, evaluations, or lab work. When pills are regarded as a quick and clandestine “solution” to end an unplanned pregnancy, women’s long‑term health and safety may be compromised, as in this case.

In addition, the Noida incident raises important questions about safety and the risk that someone with a harmful intent could manipulate or force a pregnant woman into taking abortion drugs.