Facing an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming, and maybe you think that abortion is the only way to make it all go away. However, abortion is a serious pregnancy decision that comes with risks to your health.
If you’re considering abortion, it’s critical to learn all you can to protect your health and ensure you’re making the best decision for you.
How Does Abortion Work?
Abortion is the process of terminating a pregnancy and removing it from your uterus, but this is done differently in medical (also known as the “abortion pill”) and surgical procedures.
Medical Abortion
Medical abortion involves taking two powerful drugs.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks progesterone. This hormone is necessary for pregnancy; without it, your uterine lining will loosen, and the pregnancy will detach and end.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes your uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy from your uterus and through your vagina.
After taking the abortion drugs, you will experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping, and some women have reported that the pain is unexpectedly severe.
The abortion drugs are only FDA-approved if your pregnancy is 10 weeks gestation or under. If you take the drugs and your pregnancy is further along, you’re at a greater risk of experiencing complications, like incomplete abortion—which is when parts of the pregnancy remain in your uterus. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening complication.
Surgical Abortion
Abortion providers perform surgical abortions in a clinical setting. The process involves dilating (opening) the cervix so that medical instruments—like scraping tools, strong suction, or forceps—can terminate the pregnancy and remove it from the uterus.
Potential risks associated with surgical abortion include:
- Uterine perforation (which is when the surgical instruments poke a hole in the uterus)
- Uterine scarring (which can lead to painful periods or future infertility)
- Cervical damage
- Infection
How to Protect Your Health
Before seeking an abortion, it’s essential to get an ultrasound. This simple scan can help protect your health by giving you the key information you need to stay safe, no matter what pregnancy decision you’re considering.
At Ramona Women’s Clinic, we offer free, limited ultrasounds and medically accurate information because we believe you deserve to have the information you need to stay healthy and make an educated decision.
Contact us today. You’re not alone in this. We’re here for you.
