An incomplete abortion or damage to your uterus are just two possible risks of abortion. You must learn the various procedures, side effects, and potential risks of abortion beforehand. We are here to give you the information you need.
What Are the Different Abortion Procedures?
There are two types of abortion: medical and surgical. How far along you are in your pregnancy determines the method the abortion provider uses.
Medical (The Abortion Pill Method)
When abortion providers use drugs to end a pregnancy, it is called a medical abortion. The abortion pill method uses two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol. The FDA approves using mifepristone through 10 weeks of pregnancy only (70 days from the first day of a woman’s last period).
Mifepristone, the first drug, blocks the hormone progesterone from reaching the pregnancy. Without progesterone, it cannot survive. The second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions to expel the pregnancy from the body.
The Mayo Clinic lists the following as potential risks of a medical abortion:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Surgical Abortion
Which surgical procedure the abortion provider uses is determined by how far along you are in your pregnancy. In the first trimester, a provider performs vacuum or suction aspiration. Later pregnancies require a scraping tool or forceps to remove the entire pregnancy.
The Cleveland Clinic lists the following as potential risks:
- Uterine perforation
- Uterine infection
- Uterine bleeding
You also need to watch for:
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Heavy bleeding
- Severe cramps
- Unusual or bad-smelling discharge
Are There Emotional Risks of Abortion?
A study published by the National Library of Medicine determined the following:
- Abortion is consistently associated with elevated rates of mental illness compared to women without a history of abortion
- The abortion experience directly contributes to mental health problems for at least some women
- There are risk factors, such as pre-existing mental illness, that identify women at greatest risk of mental health problems after an abortion
Did You Know You Have Options?
You have three pregnancy options: having an abortion, making an adoption plan, and choosing to parent. We can provide information about each one. Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can offer referrals to reputable adoption agencies or resources to assist you with parenting.
Schedule a confidential and no-cost appointment today or go online and chat with a nurse about your pregnancy symptoms. Don’t be afraid to ask the difficult questions because we are here to help you.