What Do I NEED to know about abortion?
Did you receive a positive home pregnancy test result? Even though abortion sometimes seems like your only option, know that you have three options. Abortion comes with serious risks and side effects. Before moving forward with any pregnancy decision, be informed and think it through carefully.
Surgical Abortion
There are multiple types of surgical abortions. A surgical abortion is a surgical process of terminating a pregnancy. The most common surgical abortion procedure is the Vacuum Aspiration method, which includes using a syringe or vacuum to remove the pregnancy from your body.
Some potential risks of a surgical abortion include:
- Passing blood clots that are larger than a lemon for more than two hours
- Damage to the cervix
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
- Fever
- Pain or cramping that gets worse instead of better, especially after 48 hours
- Perforation of the uterus
Medication Abortion
A medication abortion, also called the abortion pill, is not as simple as it sounds. Mifepristone and misoprostol are powerful drugs used to end a pregnancy. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the progesterone hormone, which prevents the embryo from implanting and growing. The second drug, misoprostol, causes labor-like contractions to remove the pregnancy from the uterus.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some potential risks of medication abortion include:
- 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
Learn More About Your Options
First Choice Center for Women is a safe and confidential place for you to talk. We will provide factual information about all of your options and refer you to community resources to help you in your pregnancy journey.
Your first step is to confirm your pregnancy with our free pregnancy testing and ultrasound services. Please schedule an appointment with us today.