Having an abortion may seem like the easiest solution to an unexpected pregnancy until you find out it’s not as simple as you thought. Like any other drug or medical procedure, having an abortion comes with physical and emotional risks.
Knowing those risks beforehand is crucial to protecting your health and safety, now and in the future. There are two main types of abortion: medical and surgical. Both have potential health consequences.
Let’s take a closer look. If you would like to ask questions or speak directly with a member of our medical team, please fill out our online contact form or call us at (541) 672-2609. Appointments are free and confidential.
What Is a Medical Abortion?
A medical abortion is also known as a medication or chemical abortion. You may have heard it called the abortion pill method. It uses two drugs to end a pregnancy.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone. All pregnancies need progesterone to develop. Without it, a pregnancy cannot survive.
Misoprostol, the second drug, causes contractions and bleeding to expel the pregnancy from the body through the vagina.
Can Anyone Use the Abortion Pill?
The FDA approves the use of the drug, mifepristone, for the abortion pill method through 10 weeks of pregnancy only. Certified providers must prescribe it, and they do not recommend buying the drug online.
The Mayo Clinic states that the abortion pill method isn’t for you for the following reasons:
- You’re too far along in your pregnancy.
- You have an IUD.
- Your pregnancy is ectopic.
- You have certain medical conditions or take a blood thinner.
- You don’t have access to emergency care.
- You’re allergic to the drugs.
Risks of the Abortion Pill Method
You perform this method at home. Here’s the Mayo Clinic’s list of risks:
- An incomplete abortion is one where the body doesn’t expel all of the pregnancy tissue.
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive symptoms
What Are Surgical Abortion Procedures?
Abortion providers perform surgical abortions in a facility. During your first trimester (the first 13 weeks), you undergo a suction or vacuum aspiration procedure. As your pregnancy continues, the provider adds medical instruments, such as a curette for scraping the wall of the uterus or forceps to remove larger parts.
Surgical abortions usually require anesthesia for the pain and perhaps dilation (opening) of the cervix (which leads to the uterus) for the pregnancy to pass through.
Risks of a Surgical Procedure
A surgical abortion may have the following risks:
- Perforation (poking a hole) of the uterus with a surgical instrument
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
Why It’s Important to Get a Confidential Pre-Abortion Pregnancy Verification
If you’re considering an abortion, make sure you get as much information as possible about your pregnancy and the abortion side effects to expect.
A no-cost screening at Hope Clinic for Women includes pregnancy testing and a limited obstetrical ultrasound. You may wonder why you need an ultrasound if you’re thinking about an abortion.
An ultrasound confirms if your pregnancy is developing or if you’ve had a miscarriage. Experts estimate that as many as 26% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage. Ultrasound also determines how far along you are (10 weeks or under) and if the location of the pregnancy is ectopic.
Let our caring medical staff provide the services you need to guard your health and safety. Schedule an appointment through our online contact form or call us at (541) 672-2609. We’re here for you.
Hope Clinic for Women does not perform or refer for abortion.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
