Health

New Research Finds Potential Alternative to Abortion Pill Mifepristone

Published

12 months ago

January 23, 2025

New Research Finds Potential Alternative to Abortion Pill Mifepristone

A new study suggests a possible alternative to the abortion pill mifepristone, a drug that continues to be a target of lawsuits and legislation from abortion opponents.

But the potential substitute could further complicate the politics of reproductive health because it is also the key ingredient in a contraceptive morning-after pill.

The new study, published Thursday in the journal NEJM Evidence, involved a drug called ulipristal acetate, the active ingredient in the prescription contraceptive Ella, one of two types of morning-after pills approved in the United States. (The other, Plan B One-Step, which does not require a prescription, contains a different drug and does not work in a way that would terminate a pregnancy, according to scientific evidence.)

In the study, 133 women who were up to nine weeks’ pregnant took twice the dose of the ulipristal acetate contained in Ella, followed by misoprostol, the second drug used in the typical medication abortion regimen. All but four of the women completed the termination of their pregnancies without further intervention, a 97 percent completion rate that is similar to the regimen using mifepristone. (The others finished the process with additional medication or a procedure.)

There were no serious complications, and the study concluded that using ulipristal acetate for abortion was safe.

Dr. Beverly Winikoff, the lead author of the study and the president of Gynuity Health Projects, a reproductive health research organization, said that after the Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion in 2022, she began wondering about a possible role for ulipristal acetate, which has a similar chemical structure to mifepristone.

“I was thinking, there’s maybe something else we can do,” she said. “Another option. And this one is already on the market.”

The political implications of the study are complex because of their potential to blur the line between the public perception of emergency contraception and abortion. For years, abortion opponents have opposed morning-after pills by saying they can cause abortions, and reproductive health experts have countered by pointing to scientific evidence that the pills do not terminate pregnancies but instead act to prevent pregnancy after sex.

Some reproductive health experts are concerned that research showing that a morning-after pill ingredient can be used for abortion could stoke attempts to crack down on emergency contraception and sow confusion that could bolster the larger anti-abortion strategy.

Kristi Hamrick, a spokeswoman for Students for Life of America, said her organization would “absolutely” consider litigation over Ella.

“The pro-life movement should be vindicated,” Ms. Hamrick said. “We’ve been arguing for years that Ella acts as an abortifacient.”

Mary Ziegler, a law professor and abortion expert at the University of California, Davis, said the study could present challenges for both sides of the abortion debate.

“It’s going to put wind in the sails of abortion opponents who have been saying things like contraceptives can be abortifacients,” she said, adding, “This study being released will be difficult, I think, for abortion rights supporters to manage.”

But Ms. Ziegler said the study’s findings could also be “politically risky” for abortion opponents because public support for contraception is high and many voters in conservative states endorsed ballot measures protecting abortion rights. “I think it’s one of those things that’s going to tempt social conservatives to push probably faster than politics would currently permit in the direction of regulating contraception,” she said. “And I think that could backfire.”

Reproductive health experts said the new study did not refute the science showing that morning-after pills don’t induce abortions, because it involved a different dose of the drug.

Abortion opponents said they were not surprised by the study’s findings.

“After years of denying ulipristal acetate’s potential to end the life of an embryo, abortion advocates are now starting to use it as a substitute for the abortion drug mifepristone,” Dr. Donna Harrison, director of research for the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement. “The reason for this is simple. Ulipristal and mifepristone function in the same way.”

Ella was already a target for some conservatives. Project 2025, a right-wing policy blueprint that has been strongly tied to the new Trump administration, said that Ella should be removed from required insurance coverage of contraception under the Affordable Care Act because it is “a potential abortifacient.”

Mifepristone, the first pill in the standard two-drug medication abortion regimen, is the only drug specifically approved for abortion in the United States. Typically used through 12 weeks’ gestation, mifepristone stops the development of a pregnancy by blocking the hormone progesterone. The second drug, misoprostol, is taken 24 to 48 hours later and causes contractions similar to a miscarriage.

Ulipristal acetate is in the same class of medications as mifepristone and also blocks the activity of progesterone, a hormone that prepares the uterus to receive and hold an embryo, said Dr. Daniel Grossman, a reproductive health physician and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the new study.

In the study, a 60 milligram dose of ulipristal acetate (double the 30 milligrams in Ella) was substituted for mifepristone and followed by misoprostol, which has various medical uses and has not been targeted as much by abortion opponents. (Misoprostol can also facilitate an abortion on its own, but is considered more effective in a combination regimen.)

Reproductive health experts said they welcomed the search for alternatives to mifepristone because abortion opponents have been waging efforts to sharply restrict the medication across the country, most notably with a federal lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration. The Supreme Court rejected that lawsuit last year, ruling that the initial plaintiffs lacked standing to sue, but the suit has since been revived with three states as plaintiffs.

Dr. Grossman, who wrote an editorial about the study, said the prospect of a substitute for mifepristone was “certainly a promising finding.” But, he added, “if because of this new evidence that at higher doses, ulipristal acetate could cause an abortion, that were to lead to ulipristal acetate being taken off the market for emergency contraception, that would be really, really bad.”

The company that manufactures Ella, Perrigo, issued a statement saying that Ella “was not tested in this study.” It added, “Ella is an F.D.A.-approved emergency contraception pill that acts before pregnancy can occur,” she continued. “There continues to be no evidence to show that, on its own, Ella causes an abortion.”

The study was conducted in Mexico City and was co-led by researchers there.

Several experts said that because it was a relatively small first study with no comparison group of patients, more research was needed before ulipristal acetate should be used for abortion. “We can’t change clinical practice based on this study,” said Kelly Cleland, a researcher who is the executive director of the American Society for Emergency Contraception.

Scientists have long understood that hormone-based drugs may be able to play different functions at different doses along the spectrum of a woman’s reproductive health cycle.

In Europe, researchers including Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, a Dutch physician and founder of telemedicine organizations that provide abortion pills globally, are studying low doses of mifepristone as a weekly birth control pill. Dr. Gomperts said she considered the new ulipristal acetate study sufficient to prescribe the drug off-label for medication abortion.

“The more uses we have for these medications, the harder it will be for people to take them away,” said Dr. Paul Blumenthal, an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University who was in an advisory group for the study.

Plan B is a much more widely used morning-after pill in the United States, but Ella is considered more effective for some women, including people who are overweight. Plan B is intended to be taken within three days after unprotected sex, while Ella can be taken within five days.

Both pills prevent pregnancy by blocking ovulation, the release of eggs from the ovaries that occurs before eggs can be fertilized, scientific studies have shown.

The claim by some abortion opponents that morning-after pills are abortion drugs is based on a theory that they might also prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb. Most scientific research has not found that to be the case.

For years, despite scientific evidence to the contrary detailed in an investigation by The New York Times, the F.D.A.-approved label and packaging for Plan B One-Step said that while the pill worked by blocking ovulation, there was a possibility it might prevent implantation. In 2022, the agency changed the language to make it clear that Plan B acts only before fertilization, “will not work if you’re already pregnant, and will not affect an existing pregnancy.”

The F.D.A. label for Ella says that its “likely primary mechanism of action” is to stop or delay ovulation. The label adds that the medication may also affect implantation. Studies in recent years, however, suggest that Ella does not operate by blocking a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb.

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Health

Not all cancers should be treated right away, medical experts say — here’s why

Published

9 hours ago

January 5, 2026

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Not all cancers should be treated right away, medical experts say — here’s why

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When someone gets a cancer diagnosis, the initial reaction is usually to undergo treatment as quickly as possible — but for some types of disease, doctors may recommend a more conservative approach.

For certain cancers, immediate or aggressive treatment can cause more harm than good, according to multiple medical experts.

For example, treating slow-growing tumors with surgery, radiation or chemotherapy could create significant side effects without a survival benefit.

PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS SEE LONGER SURVIVAL WITH NEW COMBINATION DRUG

“The fact that so many cancers will never kill you is not a justification for not knowing, because there is still plenty of room for ‘watchful waiting,’ as well as interventions that may improve quality of life even if they don’t extend life,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.

This is especially true as targeted cancer treatments emerge, which are more personalized and less likely to cause severe side effects, according to the doctor.

For precancerous, very early-stage breast conditions, careful monitoring may be more prudent than immediate surgery, research shows. (iStock)

“The fact that cancers are occurring earlier is a justification for heightened screenings, not the opposite,” Siegel added. “Information is power — what you do with that information is based on clinical judgment and the art of medicine.”

Below are some types of cancer that may not warrant treatment, according to research and doctors’ guidance.

No. 1: Prostate cancer (low-risk)

While some types of prostate cancer should be treated right away, others are better addressed by “watchful waiting,” according to Sanoj Punnen, M.D., a urologic oncologist with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System.

“With respect to prostate cancer, for most low-risk cancers (Gleason 6 or grade group 1), we recommend initial observation and surveillance rather than immediate treatment,” he told Fox News Digital.

NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDS

The Gleason score is a grading system that ranks prostate cancer cells in terms of how abnormal they are, with 6 being the lowest grade and 10 being the highest grade (barely resembling normal cells).

“For high-grade tumors like Gleason 8, 9 or 10, we believe they progress quickly, so we recommend treatment to prevent the risk of metastasis,” said Punnen, who is also vice chair of research and a professor with the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at UHealth. “For low-risk tumors, we think they pose little risk, so we recommend just observation.”

“The fact that cancers are occurring earlier is a justification for heightened screenings, not the opposite.”

“But in the end, we can’t be sure, so our approach to observation includes serial monitoring of cancer status with PSA, MRI and occasional biopsy to ensure the tumor isn’t progressing.”

No. 2: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Also known as stage 0 breast cancer, DCIS is a non-invasive disease marked by abnormal cells in the lining of the breast milk ducts. The “in situ” is Latin for “in the original place,” which indicates that the cancer has not spread outside the milk ducts.

For this precancerous, very early-stage breast condition, careful monitoring may be more prudent than immediate surgery, research shows.

While some types of prostate cancer should be treated right away, others are better addressed by “watchful waiting,” according to a urologic oncologist. (iStock)

A 2024 study by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that active monitoring for DCIS resulted in similar quality of life, mental health and symptom progression over a two-year period compared to a standard surgical approach.

NEW STUDY QUESTIONS WHETHER ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS ARE NECESSARY FOR MOST WOMEN

“These results suggest that in the short term, active monitoring is a reasonable approach to management of low-risk DCIS,” the lead researcher said in a press release. “If longer-term follow-up supports the safety of active management from a cancer outcome standpoint, this approach could be considered as an option for women with this condition.”

“But it is also critical that we understand how women feel when they are living with this ‘watch and wait’ approach and how it impacts their overall quality of life.”

Other research has suggested that women with low-risk DCIS did not have a higher rate of invasive cancer after two years of active monitoring, although each patient should discuss their individual risk level with an oncologist.

No. 3: Indolent (slow-growing) lymphomas

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a type of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow and other tissues.

Indolent lymphomas are those that “grow and spread slowly,” according to the American Cancer Society.

THE DEADLY CANCER HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT — AND WHY MOST PATIENTS NEVER GET SCREENED

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends watchful waiting for asymptomatic, slow-growing follicular lymphoma, as a means of avoiding the toxicity of chemotherapy and immunotherapy until it’s absolutely necessary.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation confirms that doctors recommend “active surveillance” for some patients with slow-growing lymphoma.

Indolent lymphomas are those that “grow and spread slowly,” according to the American Cancer Society. (iStock)

“This approach may be started after the initial diagnosis or after relapse, depending on the situation,” the foundation states on its website. “Active treatment is started if the patient begins to develop lymphoma-related symptoms or if there are signs that the disease is progressing.”

Treatment should be started right away for aggressive (fast-growing) lymphomas.

No. 4: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

One of the most common adult leukemias, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) originates in white blood cells (lymphocytes) in the bone marrow and then spreads to the bloodstream, according to the American Cancer Society.

CLL tends to grow slowly, with many patients experiencing no symptoms for years. Eventually, the cancer calls can spread to the lymph nodes, liver and spleen.

BREAKTHROUGH BLOOD TEST COULD SPOT DOZENS OF CANCERS BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR

Some studies have shown that early treatment for CLL does not improve survival rates compared to observation, and that the benefits may not outweigh the risks.

In a 2023 study presented at the European Hematology Association 2023 Congress in Frankfurt, Germany, researchers found that early treatment did not prolong overall survival compared to a placebo in patients with early, asymptomatic CLL.

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“I believe it’s fair to conclude that ‘watch-and-wait’ should remain the standard of care in the era of targeted drugs,” said researcher Petra Langerbeins, M.D., when presenting the findings.

No. 5: Low-grade endometrial cancer

For most patients with endometrial cancer, surgery is the first treatment, which entails removing the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, according to the American Cancer Society.

However, in certain patients with low-grade cancer, such as older people, those with “frailty” and people with major health issues, doctors may recommend deferring surgery, which can pose a high risk.

The American Thyroid Association’s guidelines officially recommend active surveillance for very low-risk microcarcinomas. (iStock)

In cases where the patient has medical comorbidities or wants to preserve fertility, hormone treatment may be used instead of surgery, per the ACS.

“It’s usually also considered for cancer that is lower-grade, low-volume and slow-growing,” the above source stated.

No. 6: Some early kidney cancers

In cases of kidney cancer with small tumors (≤3 cm) or benign lesions, doctors may recommend monitoring them instead of undergoing surgery for removal.

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The American Urological Association confirms that active surveillance is an option for some small renal masses (localized tumors).

“I believe it’s fair to conclude that ‘watch-and-wait’ should remain the standard of care in the era of targeted drugs.”

Deferred treatment is particularly recommended for older patients or those with “significant comorbidities,” research shows.

“Shared decision-making about active surveillance should consider risks of intervention/competing mortality versus potential oncologic benefits of intervention,” the UAU states in its guidance.

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Data from the Delayed Intervention and Surveillance for Small Renal Masses (DISSRM) Registry showed that patients with active surveillance had a 99% or greater cancer-specific survival rate — virtually the same as patients who received immediate treatment.

No. 7: Small papillary thyroid cancers

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the most common type of thyroid cancer, may not warrant treatment for small tumors measuring 1 centimeter (10 mm) or less, which are called microcarcinomas.

A young multiracial female is undergoing a diagnostic medical imaging procedure in a state-of-the-art hospital setting with CT simulator. The image illustrates the use of cutting-edge technology for healthcare and treatment in a modern medical environment. The portrayal highlights precision, care, and the sophistication of contemporary medical practices. (iStock)

Research found that when using active surveillance for 10 to 20 years, less than 10% experienced significant growth, only 5% developed lymph node spread and there were no thyroid-cancer deaths.

The American Thyroid Association’s guidelines officially recommend active surveillance for very low-risk microcarcinomas.

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While many patients with low-risk tumors can safely delay treatment, this does not apply to all cancers or all patients.

As cancer behavior and personal health factors vary widely, patients should consult their doctor to determine the most appropriate course of care based on their individual risk level.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Brain Health Challenge: Test Your Knowledge of Healthy Habits

Published

21 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Brain Health Challenge: Test Your Knowledge of Healthy Habits

Welcome to the Brain Health Challenge! I’m Dana Smith, a reporter at The New York Times, and I’ll be your guide.

To live a healthy life, it’s crucial to have a healthy brain. In the short term, it keeps you sharp and firing on all cylinders. In the long term, it can reduce your risk of cognitive decline, dementia and stroke.

Practicing basic healthy behaviors, like eating nutritious food and getting regular exercise, is the best way to enhance your brain power and protect the longevity of your neurons. These types of lifestyle habits can benefit the brain at any age. And while they won’t guarantee that you’ll never develop dementia or another brain disease, several clinical trials have shown that they can improve cognition or slow decline.

Every day this week, you’ll do an activity that’s good for your brain, and we’ll dig into the science behind why it works. Some of these activities can provide a small immediate cognitive benefit, but the bigger reward comes from engaging in them consistently over time. So along with the neuroscience lessons, we’ll include a few tips to help you turn these actions into lasting habits.

To keep you accountable, we’re encouraging you to complete this challenge with a friend. If you don’t have a challenge buddy, no problem: We’re also turning the comments section into one big support group.

There are so many fascinating ways your daily behaviors affect your brain. Take sleep, for example.

Lots of studies have shown that getting a good night’s rest (seven to eight hours) is associated with better memory and other cognitive abilities. That’s because sleep, especially REM sleep, is when your brain transfers short-term memories — things you learned or experienced during the day — into long-term storage.

Sleep is also when your brain does its daily housekeeping. While you rest, the brain’s glymphatic system kicks into high gear, clearing out abnormal proteins and other molecular garbage, including the protein amyloid, which is a major contributor to Alzheimer’s disease. A buildup of amyloid is one reason experts think that people who routinely get less sleep have a higher risk of dementia.

What other behaviors play a big role in brain health? For today’s activity, we’re going to test your knowledge with a quiz. Share your score with your accountability partner and in the comments below — I’ll be in there too, cheering you on.

Health

What your butt shape could reveal about your health, according to scientists

Published

21 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

What your butt shape could reveal about your health, according to scientists

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An often-overlooked part of the body may reveal important clues about overall health.

Researchers from the University of Westminster in the U.K. discovered that the shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes with age, gender, lifestyle and frailty, as well as certain conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.

Using advanced MRI scans that create 3D images, researchers revealed “distinct” patterns in the gluteus maximus associated with type 2 diabetes.

HOW TO AVOID GETTING ‘OFFICE CHAIR BUTT’ FROM PROLONGED SITTING AT WORK

This suggested that the shape of the muscle, rather than the size, may “reflect underlying metabolic differences,” a press release stated.

The findings were presented in December at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.

Butt shape may indicate underlying health conditions, according to new research. (iStock)

Unlike previous studies looking at muscle size or fat, the 3D imaging identified exactly where the muscle changes occur, according to the researchers.

As one of the largest muscles in the human body, the gluteus maximus “plays a key role” in metabolic health, according to lead study author E. Louise Thomas, Ph.D., professor of metabolic imaging at the University of Westminster’s School of Life Sciences.

OLDER AMERICANS ARE QUITTING GLP-1 WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS FOR 4 KEY REASONS

The researchers analyzed more than 61,000 MRI scans from a large UK health database to better understand the muscle’s structure.

The data also included the participants’ physical measurements, demographics, disease biomarkers, medical history and lifestyle habits. The researchers studied how these variables were linked to muscle shape over time.

An infographic from the Radiological Society of North America presentation displays research findings on the shape of the gluteus maximus. (RSNA)

“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape, while aging, frailty and long sitting times were linked to muscle thinning,” study co-author Marjola Thanaj, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the University of Westminster’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, said in the release.

5 FITNESS TRENDS THAT WENT VIRAL IN 2025 – EXPERTS WEIGH HYPE VS RESULTS

The researchers concluded that butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients.

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Men with type 2 diabetes showed muscle shrinkage, while women displayed enlarged muscle, likely due to “infiltration of fat” within it, according to the researchers.

These results suggest that men and women have “very different biological responses to the same disease,” Thanaj suggested.

Butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients. (iStock)

Men who were categorized as “frail” were recognized as having more “general shrinkage” across the gluteus maximus, but women experienced a “limited” frailty effect.

Building strong glutes for better health

Strengthening the glutes is an “investment in long-term health,” according to Tanya Becker, co-founder of Physique 57 in New York City.

“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention,” she told Fox News Digital.

“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention.” (iStock)

Becker refers to the glutes as the body’s “shock absorbers,” because they protect the lower back, knees and hips from taking on stress they weren’t designed to handle.

Larger muscle groups also burn more calories and help regulate blood sugar, the expert added, noting that muscles are often referred to as the “organ of longevity.”

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Strengthening the glutes also helps to protect the lower back, hips and knees, and also improves posture and balance, reducing the risk of falls and improving mobility.

“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape.”

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Becker recommends traditional weighted exercises like squats, lunges and bridges, although they are not suited for everyone, especially older adults with injuries and joint pain.

“Pilates and barre classes offer bodyweight exercises that are ideal for beginners or individuals with physical limitations,” she suggested. “They can be done anytime, anywhere, making them accessible for beginners before progressing to weighted versions.”

Glute bridges (demonstrated above) are a recommended exercise for strengthening those muscles. (iStock)

Becker shared the following three glute exercises that improve hip mobility, stability and overall strength.

No. 1: Quadruped leg lifts (strengthens entire core and glutes)

Start on the hands and knees, engage your core, and lift one leg off the floor (bent or straight). Pulse up and down a few inches for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat on the other leg.

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No. 2: Clamshells (strengthens gluteus medius)

Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees in front of you. Lift your top knee away from your bottom knee, then lower slowly.

For an increased challenge, lift both feet off the ground while keeping the heels together. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds per side.

Strong muscles are responsible for maintaining metabolic health, according to Becker. (iStock)

No. 3: Glute bridges (strengthens lower back and glutes)

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet parallel, a few inches from your hips. Engage your abs, and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward knee height, then lower.

If you feel pressure in your neck, you’ve lifted too high. Perform for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete three sets with 30-second rests between them.

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Those looking to start a new fitness routine should first consult with a doctor.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.