Considering Abortion?

Abortion is a medical procedure that terminates a pregnancy. If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy decision, you may be considering abortion. You should always discuss abortion with a medical professional before making a decision. At ABC Women’s Health & Ultrasound Center, we are here to answer your questions about abortion without judgment. We want to provide you with the information you need to help you make a decision for your pregnancy.

Before An Abortion

A positive pregnancy test does not mean that your pregnancy will continue. Up to 30% of known pregnancies end naturally on their own. Make an appointment with our staff to receive a no cost ultrasound to determine the viability of your pregnancy. Don’t risk your health (or your money) by aborting a pregnancy that may be ending naturally.

• Check to see if you have any or all early pregnancy symptoms
• Get no-cost lab-quality pregnancy testing with us
• If the pregnancy test was positive, get a no-cost ultrasound scan to learn the viability of the pregnancy and how long you’ve been pregnant
• Our nurses recommend testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea before an abortion procedure. Women with an untreated chlamydial infection at the time of abortion have a 72% risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease.  Even if you are thinking about the abortion pill, there is a risk that you will need a surgical abortion to complete the procedure. We can provide these limited STD tests for you, and treatment if applicable, at no cost.*
• Discuss your situation and learn about all of your options

Types Of Abortions

There are two main types of abortion, medication and surgical. Which procedure they’ll perform depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy. The best way to determine how long you’ve been pregnant is with an ultrasound. At ABC Women’s Health & Ultrasound Center, we offer ultrasounds for free.

Medication Abortion

Known by several names, a medication abortion can also be called the abortion pill, RU-486, or self-managed. You can only use this method if you are under ten weeks pregnant. If you’ve been pregnant longer than ten weeks, the fetus may be too large for a medication abortion to be successful.

Most people are familiar with the abortion pill method, but did you know it isn’t just one simple pill and you’re done? Actually, the abortion pill procedure uses two very powerful drugs.

The first drug you take is called mifepristone. This drug stops your body from producing a hormone called progesterone. This hormone is necessary for an embryo to stay implanted on the lining of your uterus. Mifepristone thins the lining, stopping the embryo from growing.

The second drug is known as misoprostol. This drug causes your body to start contractions to get rid of the embryo and pregnancy tissue.

Risks And Side Effects:

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of side effects and risks to be aware of with a medication abortion.

Side Effects:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Abdominal cramping
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Headache

Risks:

• 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 lasting more than 24 hours
• Digestive system discomfort
• Severe abdominal or back pain

Surgical Abortion

You will have to schedule a surgical abortion if you have been pregnant for longer than 10 weeks. These outpatient procedures require more recovery time than a medication abortion. Obviously, the farther along you are in your pregnancy, the more invasive and expensive the procedures become.

The vacuum aspiration method can be performed between your 13th and 15th week of pregnancy. It is essentially a dilation and curettage (D & C) to clear the uterine lining. The abortion doctor clears out all the tissue using suction (like a vacuum). Sometimes, a surgical instrument known as a curette is also used to scrape out the remaining tissue.

If you are farther along than 15 weeks, you receive either a dilation and evacuation (D & E) abortion procedure or dilation and extraction (D & X). Both of these require extensive dilation of the cervix in order to remove the contents of the uterus. In addition to the suction or vacuum, these procedures use forceps and other medical tools, including a curette to scrape the inside of your uterus.

Risks And Side Effects:

According to the Mayo Clinic and Healthline, there are a number of risks and side effects to be aware of with surgical abortion.

Side Effects:

• Bleeding, including blood clots
• Cramping, possibly lasting more than 48 hours
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating
• Feeling faint

Risks:

• Perforation of the uterus
• Damage to the cervix
• Scar tissue on the uterine wall
• Fever and potential infection
• Passing blood clots that are larger than a lemon for more than two hours
• Bleeding that is heavy enough that you have to change your pad twice in one hour for two hours straight
• Pain or cramping that gets worse instead of better

How We Can Help

Before you make your abortion appointment, come to ABC Women’s Health & Ultrasound Center for free pregnancy testing and ultrasound. We’ll let you know how far along your pregnancy is. Then, we can talk about your plans for your current situation and your plans for your future. Schedule your appointment today.