An abortion is a serious medical decision. If you’re considering having one, make sure you understand the facts about the procedures, the side effects to expect, and the potential physical and emotional risks. You owe it to yourself to get as much information as possible. We’ll help you.
The Two Types of Abortion
The two types of abortion are medical and surgical. Typically, the number of weeks you have been pregnant determines which type you qualify for.
It’s often difficult to determine the exact date you got pregnant. To get the most accurate date, you’ll want to have an ultrasound. At Options Women’s Care Center, we offer no-cost, limited ultrasounds.
Medical (aka the abortion pill method)
Medical abortion uses drugs to end a pregnancy. Although it’s also known as the abortion pill, it isn’t one pill. This method uses two powerful drugs over a 24- to 48-hour period.
All pregnancies need a hormone called progesterone to develop. The first drug in the abortion pill method is mifepristone. This drug blocks progesterone so that the pregnancy cannot survive.
Misoprostol, the second drug, causes bleeding and contractions to expel the pregnancy from the body.
The FDA approves the use of the abortion pill drugs through 10 weeks of pregnancy only. The further along you are, the less effective the drugs are.
Side Effects
You can expect to experience some or all of the following side effects:
- Nausea with potential vomiting
- Fever with possible chills
- Diarrhea
- Bleeding with the potential for larger blood clots
- Cramping or contractions, which some women report as severe
Risks
There are both physical and emotional risks with the abortion pill method.
- An incomplete abortion (this occurs when the pregnancy ends, but the body fails to release all of the pregnancy tissue)
- The possibility that the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Mental health issues
A medical abortion is performed outside of a medical facility (usually at home) and not under the direct supervision of a medical professional. You will be responsible for recognizing any side effects or complications and obtaining follow-up care.
Surgical
Early surgical abortions involve suction or vacuum aspiration. As the pregnancy progresses, the abortion provider adds medical instruments. For instance, if you have a dilation and curettage (D&C), the provider uses a scraping tool to scrape out the pregnancy tissue in your uterus.
Later pregnancies require a dilation and evacuation (D&E), which uses forceps for grasping and removing the pregnancy and tissue. Often, surgical procedures require dilating (opening) the cervix, which leads to the uterus, and either general or local anesthesia for pain.
Side Effects
- Cramping
- Bleeding
- Possible nausea from the anesthesia
Risks
- Perforation of the uterus from the medical instruments
- Damage to the cervix due to scraping
- Infection
- Mental health issues
Want to know more about abortion procedures, side effects, risks, or reasons why a medical abortion may not be an option for you? Schedule an appointment today.
We do not perform or refer for abortion at Options Women’s Care Center. We will, however, provide medically based facts to help you make an informed decision.
