Should You Have an Abortion?

When faced with an unplanned pregnancy, many women think about getting an abortion. However, abortions have the potential for physical and emotional complications. You owe it to yourself to be fully prepared before making this choice.

We want you to make an educated decision, which means getting the facts. If you would like to know more, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Abortion Procedures

Although we do not perform or refer for abortions, we will provide evidence-based medical education and nursing consultations about procedures, side effects, and potential risks.

There are two basic types of abortion procedures: medication (medical) and surgical. How long you have been pregnant usually determines the procedure you qualify for.

Medical Abortion (also known as the abortion pill method)

The FDA approves using this method through 10 weeks of pregnancy only (70 days from the first day of your last period). Other experts have warned against using this method past nine weeks.

Why is there a limit to when you can use the abortion pill method? According to the FDA, the farther along you are, the less effective the drugs are. It’s vital to know the number of weeks you have been pregnant.

Medical abortions use two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, to terminate a pregnancy. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks progesterone, terminating the pregnancy. Misoprostol, the second drug, causes contractions to remove the pregnancy from the body.

Surgical Abortion

How far along you are in your pregnancy will determine the type of surgical abortion you will need. Early pregnancies (12 weeks or less) require vacuum or suction aspiration.

The abortion provider uses surgical instruments such as a curette (a scraping tool) to remove the pregnancy or forceps to remove larger parts.

Surgical abortions often involve dilating (opening) the cervix (the part that leads to the uterus) and some form of anesthesia.

Abortion Side Effects and Risks

Each form of abortion involves some bleeding and cramping. However, there are other side effects and risks specific to medical and surgical abortions.

The Abortion Pill Side Effects

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Headache

The Abortion Pill Risks

• Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
• An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
• Heavy and prolonged bleeding
• Infection
• Fever
• Digestive system discomfort

Surgical Side Effects

• Cramping
• Light spotting or bleeding

Surgical Risks

• Uterine perforation (a small tear in your uterus) may happen if one of the surgical instruments passes through your uterine wall
• Infection
• Bleeding, which could be heavy, including large blood clots
• Tender or painful belly
• Fever
• Unusual or foul-smelling vaginal discharge

What To Do Before An Abortion

You need to confirm your pregnancy before choosing abortion. Visit the Pregnancy Help Center for free pregnancy testing and an ultrasound.*

By getting an ultrasound, you’ll learn the gestational age (how far along the pregnancy is), the location of the pregnancy (whether it is developing in the uterus), and if it’s growing or if you’ve miscarried—all vital information to know beforehand.

Make your appointment today.

*For qualified clients only.

The information presented on this website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice. We do not provide or refer for abortions. We do not profit from any of your sexual health or pregnancy decisions.