A medical abortion is a non-surgical abortion that uses pills, commonly referred to as just the abortion pill, to end a pregnancy.
The abortion pill uses two different medications–mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone is taken first, oftentimes at the doctor’s office. This medication prevents an embryo from attaching to your uterus or causing an implanted embryo to detach from the uterine lining.
After a period of time suggested by your doctor, you will take the pill containing the second drug misoprostol. This causes your uterus to contract, expelling the embryo from your body.
Possible Risks
Like other medical procedures a medical abortion carries a chance of risk, such as:
- Incomplete abortion (which may need to be followed by surgical abortion)
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Digestive system discomfort
- Infection
- Fever
Limitations to Medical Abortions
A medical abortion can only be done through the first 7-9 weeks of pregnancy, so it’s very important that you know the age of your pregnancy before starting any abortion procedure.
It is also important to ensure that your pregnancy is a viable pregnancy and not an ectopic pregnancy–a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy is a serious medical condition that requires medical intervention right away for your health and safety. An ultrasound is usually the best method of determining the age and location of your pregnancy.
There are other limitations to medical abortion as well, such as whether or not you are using a UID, are on blood thinning medicine, or are allergic to the medications used.
Making the Best Decision
It’s important that you have all the details and information about your pregnancy to allow you to make the best and healthiest decision for yourself. That’s why having an ultrasound to determine the age and location of your pregnancy can be an important first step in knowing what options are available to you.
The staff at SouthWest Options for Women are available to provide you with a free ultrasound and resources you need to make the right choice for your body.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome.