While a medical abortion may seem convenient when facing an unplanned pregnancy, there are risks to consider. For the sake of your health, you’ll want to speak with your medical provider about known risks and complications to be aware of before making any decisions.
What is the Abortion Pill?
Even though it’s commonly referred to as the “abortion pill,” the procedure is known as a medical abortion and consists of a series of two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol.
Mifepristone is taken first and blocks the hormone progesterone. It prevents your uterus from sustaining a pregnancy, causing the fertilized egg to detach from the uterine wall. Misoprostol is then used to cause your uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy from your body.
Limitations & Risks of Medical Abortion
There are known risks and limitations to medical abortion that, if ignored, can create serious complications that put your health and safety at risk. Some physical risks of a medical abortion procedure include:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Digestive system discomfort
- Infection
- Fever
Ectopic Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside your uterus, such as in a fallopian tube. This is a serious and dangerous medical condition that cannot be addressed by the abortion pill and requires immediate medical attention.
Gestational Age of Pregnancy
According to the FDA, a medical abortion (the abortion pill) should not be attempted after 10 weeks gestation. Attempting a medical abortion after 10 weeks drastically increases the chance of risks to your health, such as incomplete abortion.
Other limitations that could limit your eligibility for a medical abortion include:
- Having an intrauterine device (IUD)
- Can’t make follow-up visits to your doctor
- Can’t access emergency care
- Taking a blood thinner or certain steroid medications
- Having an allergy to the medications used during a medical abortion
- Having certain medical issues such as bleeding disorders, heart or blood vessel diseases, severe lung, liver, or kidney disease, or an uncontrolled seizure disorder
Learn More Today
The most important first step is to get all the facts you can, not just about the abortion pill, but the details of your pregnancy. Begin learning the facts with our support team here at Life Center.
We offer free and confidential, self-administered pregnancy tests so you can be sure of where your pregnancy stands. If your test is positive, you may be eligible for an ultrasound referral so you can confirm key details.
Be informed to make the best decision for your health and future. Schedule a free appointment today to learn more about your pregnancy and options.