Online shopping has transformed people’s access to a variety of things around the world, including abortions. With the abortion pill available for anyone to purchase online, the question becomes, “is an at-home abortion safe for me?”
Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be devastating. With the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade, women seeking an abortion may feel a sense of urgency to schedule a procedure. However, it is critical to consider your health history and the details about your pregnancy before beginning an at-home abortion. Your life and future health could depend on it.
How The Abortion Pills Works?
Medical abortion is a procedure that uses medicine to end a pregnancy, evacuating any fetus/baby in the womb. The abortion pills consist of two different drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone is given first and works by blocking the hormone progesterone. Without progesterone, the fetus/newly conceived baby cannot implant in the uterus or grow. About 24-48 hours later, misoprostol is given to evacuate the fetus from the uterus. Women will experience cramping and heavy bleeding as the fetus passes.
Facts To Consider
Commercials for prescription drugs on TV always say, “Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.” And they are right! The abortion pill can cause a range of side effects from mild (cramping, bleeding) to life-threatening (sepsis, infections).
Research (2) also shows that women with previous mental health conditions like anxiety or depression are at a higher risk for suffering emotional effects after an abortion.
You should talk with a medical professional about all of these risks and side effects before proceeding. It’s critical to be under a doctor’s supervision when taking the abortion pills and to have access to emergency care if needed.
You will also want to take precautions before beginning an online abortion. It’s extremely important to know with certainty how far along you are with an ultrasound.
The FDA has only approved the abortion pill for the first ten weeks of pregnancy. If you experience shipping delays and you progress further than ten weeks, this could jeopardize your safety.
Begin Here
Your health is our highest priority here at Alexandria Pregnancy Center. We exist to support women and guide them through the difficult questions of an unexpected pregnancy.
Our center provides pregnancy tests and free ultrasounds to confirm your pregnancy and provide the critical details you need to know to prevent complications.
Call us today at (920) 435-4191 to set-up your free consultation and take back your future today!
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687
2. Coleman PK. Women at risk for post-abortion mental health problems and abortion associated relationship challenges. Post-abortion trauma: possible psychological and existential aftermaths. Rome: Pontifical Academy for Life, 2014, pp. 147–210, http://www.academiavita.org/_pdf/documents/pav/post_abortion_trauma.pdf [Google Scholar]