If you’re considering an abortion, you may have come across mail-order abortion pills. While these drugs are often marketed as a convenient option, there are important medical considerations to understand before making a decision.
SouthWest Options for Women provides accurate information about abortion, including risks and considerations, as well as free pregnancy services, such as pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, options education, mentoring, and material assistance.
We are here to provide a safe, confidential space where you can learn about your pregnancy and your options without pressure.
Schedule an appointment today.
1. Mail Order Abortion Skips Medical Safeguards
Obtaining the abortion pill by mail carries additional risks because there is no way to verify how the drugs were manufactured, handled, labeled, stored, dosed, or shipped before they reached you. For this reason, the FDA warns against ordering the abortion pill online.
Most of the time, mail-order abortion has no in-person medical oversight; factors such as your health history, medical conditions, and risk factors are not reviewed before taking these drugs. This may increase the risk of complications or delay identifying medical conditions that require immediate care.
2. The Abortion Pill Carries Risks
The abortion pill is a medical procedure and carries potential risks regardless of where it is obtained. Possible risks include:
- Heavy or prolonged bleeding
- Incomplete abortion
- Infection
Some women also experience significant cramping and bleeding that is more intense than they expected. Without in-person medical oversight, distinguishing normal side effects from complications is difficult.
3. An Ultrasound Is Important
Before considering an abortion, an ultrasound provides important medical information that a pregnancy test alone cannot.
A limited ultrasound can determine:
- How far along you are
- Whether the pregnancy is located in the uterus
- Whether the pregnancy appears to be viable
These details are important because they can identify an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. This condition cannot be treated with the abortion pill and requires emergency medical care.
An ultrasound can also identify if a miscarriage has already occurred. Pregnancy tests can remain positive after a pregnancy loss because hCG can stay in the body. In this case, an abortion would no longer be required, and appropriate follow-up medical care may be needed instead.
The abortion pill is FDA-approved through ten weeks of gestation; this is why it’s important to know how far along you are in pregnancy. Taking the abortion pill beyond this timeframe could lead to an increase in complications.
Get Pregnancy Confirmation at SouthWest Options for Women
At SouthWest Options for Women, we are committed to supporting you through your unexpected pregnancy with compassionate care, free pregnancy services, and a dedicated team.
Taking time to pause, learn how your pregnancy is developing, and understand your options can help you feel more confident as you move forward.
There is more support available than you may realize. Contact us to schedule your confidential appointment.