So many people don’t take the time to learn the risks of the abortion pill method. We’re happy you asked this question.
All abortions involve some bleeding and cramping, but there is more to be aware of. We want to protect your health and safety at the Pregnancy Resource Center. The following are a few of the physical and emotional risks you could potentially experience with the abortion pill.
What is the Abortion Pill?
It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Take a pill and your “troubles” are over. Except you’re not taking one pill, you’re taking two powerful drugs with potential risks.
The abortion pill method is also known as a medical, medication, or chemical abortion because you take drugs to terminate a pregnancy.
The FDA highly regulates the first drug, mifepristone. Only certified providers can prescribe it. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone from reaching the pregnancy. All pregnancies need progesterone to develop; without it, the pregnancy ends.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes bleeding and contractions to expel the pregnancy from the body. For some women, in one study, the pain from taking the abortion pill was “out of this world.”
Potential Physical Risks:
- The first risk mentioned by the Mayo Clinic is an incomplete abortion. When an abortion is incomplete, the pregnancy ends, but the body doesn’t release all of the pregnancy tissue in the uterus. This may require a surgical abortion to remove tissue.
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work. The FDA approves the use of the abortion pill through 10 weeks of pregnancy only. The further along you are, the less effective the drugs are.
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding. According to the label for mifepristone, bleeding or spotting can be expected for an average of 9 to 16 days and may last for up to 30 days. You’re encouraged to contact your healthcare provider if you soak through one or more pads an hour for two hours.
- Infection. Watch for a fever that lasts more than four hours or that starts in the days after you take misoprostol. A foul-smelling discharge can also indicate an infection.
Potential Emotional Risk:
Many abortion providers gloss over the idea of abortion causing mental health risks, but one study found there is a correlation for at least some women.
For more information about how you could be affected, read “How Will Abortion Affect Me Mentally?”
Learn More From the Pregnancy Resource Center
Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can provide factual, medically based information about abortion procedures, the side effects to expect, and the potential physical and emotional risks.
Before you move forward with the abortion pill, make sure you have confirmed your pregnancy. Confirmation starts with a medical-grade pregnancy test administered by a medical professional at the Pregnancy Resource Center. We’ll provide a free limited ultrasound if your test is positive.
Don’t skip this vital step. Experts estimate that 26% of all pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage. An ultrasound determines if your pregnancy is developing or if you’ve miscarried. You also learn how far along you are to determine if the abortion pill is an option.
Schedule an appointment today or call us to discuss our mobile unit schedule. We’re here for you.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.