The decision to move forward with an abortion is a major medical decision that can have life-altering effects. Each type of abortion comes with physical risks like infection, nausea, cramping, or heavy bleeding.
In this blog, we want to share how abortion may physically affect you so you can make an empowered and informed decision.
Medical Abortion & Risks
The abortion pill method uses two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone blocks the uterus from absorbing progesterone, a necessary hormone for pregnancy. The lack of progesterone terminates the pregnancy.
Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, thus expelling the contents of the uterus including any fetus.
The Risks of Medical Abortion
The Mayo Clinic shares the possible risks of medical abortion (the abortion pill), including:
- 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
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Surgical Abortion & Risks
The two types of surgical abortion procedures include:
Dilation & curettage (D&C): Normally done in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The procedure uses surgical tools such as a curette, a sharp instrument, or a suction device that removes the contents of the uterus, including a fetus, from the uterus through the vagina.
The Risks of Surgical Abortion
The Mayo Clinic shares the possible risks of surgical abortion, including:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
- Heavy bleeding
- Cramping
If you experience any of the risks above, especially heavy bleeding, it’s important to contact a doctor right away to ensure no lasting impact is made on your body and health.
Steps Before An Abortion
There are a couple of steps to take to protect your health before an abortion.
First, confirm your pregnancy with a medical-grade pregnancy test at our center.
Next, we offer free ultrasound scans if you’ve received a positive pregnancy test result.
An ultrasound tells you how far along your pregnancy has progressed or if possibly there was a miscarriage or other complications.
Schedule your visit to our center today. We’re here to listen and help.