Ordering abortion pills online can feel like the most private and immediate option when you are facing an unexpected pregnancy. The packaging looks routine, the website may look professional, and the whole process can seem fast and simple. Before any drug reaches your door, there are several health and safety considerations to keep in mind, including some that may not be fully explained on the websites that sell them.
PRC of Southwest Oklahoma offers free, confidential pregnancy services, including a pregnancy test and a limited OB ultrasound following a positive test. We also provide these services at other locations around Lawton each week through our Mobile Medical Unit.
Schedule an appointment today to talk with us.
If you’re considering mail-order abortion, here are three important things to know first.
1. Why Doesn’t the FDA Recommend Buying the Abortion Pill Online?
The FDA does not recommend purchasing abortion pills online.
Many websites that sell abortion pills outside the FDA’s distribution system show warning signs of an unverified source: not requiring a prescription, lacking a license from a state board of pharmacy, not providing access to a licensed pharmacist to answer questions, or shipping drugs in damaged, unlabeled, or foreign-language packaging. Prices that seem unusually low may also be a cause for concern.
When drugs come from a source like this, there is no in-person medical evaluation involved, and your health history and personal risk factors, such as a bleeding disorder, may never be reviewed by a licensed medical professional.
Also, there is no reliable way to confirm how the pills were manufactured, handled, stored, dosed, or shipped before they arrived. Without this information, concerns about quality, potency, and safety remain.
2. Why an Ultrasound Is Recommended After a Pregnancy Test
A positive pregnancy test confirms the presence of the pregnancy hormone, hCG, but a test cannot tell you how far along a pregnancy is, whether the pregnancy is located in the uterus, and whether a miscarriage may have already occurred. An ultrasound is needed to provide this information. One in four recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, which can sometimes still produce a positive test result.
Gestational age matters too. The abortion pill is FDA-approved only through 10 weeks of pregnancy*, and without an ultrasound, that timeline is easy to miscalculate.
An ultrasound can also identify an ectopic pregnancy, where the pregnancy implants outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. Abortion pills will not resolve an ectopic pregnancy, and without prompt diagnosis, an ectopic pregnancy can become a medical emergency.
PRC of Southwest Oklahoma offers a limited ultrasound at no cost following a positive pregnancy test.
3. The Abortion Pill Carries Health Risks
The abortion pill causes cramping and bleeding as the body expels the pregnancy and related tissue. Some women find the pain more intense than they anticipated, describing a labor-like experience.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are risks associated with the abortion pill.
- The body doesn’t release all of the pregnancy tissue, resulting in an incomplete abortion, which may require additional medical care.
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work.
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding.
- Infection.
- Fever.
- Digestive symptoms such as an upset stomach.
Without a provider nearby who knows your history, it can be hard to tell the difference between expected symptoms and those that need urgent attention.
Get the Full Picture Before You Decide
A pregnancy test alone cannot tell you everything, and neither can a website. Knowing the lack of oversight, the limitations of a positive test, and the risks involved gives you a clearer foundation, no matter which direction you lean, because your health and safety come first.
PRC of Southwest Oklahoma is here to provide this information in person and at no cost.
Our medical mobile unit is available at the following locations:
Wednesdays | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Lawton Food Bank
1819 SW Sheridan Rd
Lawton, OK 73505
Fridays | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Cameron University BCM
2614 SW E Ave
Lawton, OK 73505
Call or text: 580-450-1982
Schedule your appointment today, or text us at (580) 875-7794.
PRC of Southwest Oklahoma does not provide or refer for abortions.
* According to state law, the abortion pill is illegal in Oklahoma. Abortion pills cannot be legally obtained through mail-order, telehealth, or online pharmacies.