Learn the Facts About the Abortion Pill
At AscentCare, we want you to be fully prepared before choosing the abortion pill. You deserve to have the facts about your pregnancy, your sexual health, the abortion pill method, side effects, and potential risks.
The abortion pill regimen uses two drugs to terminate a pregnancy. It’s also known as a medical, medication, or chemical abortion.
The FDA highly regulates the first drug, mifepristone (distributed as Mifeprex®). Only certified prescribers or pharmacies can distribute it. As a result, the FDA discourages purchasing the drugs online.
How Does the Abortion Pill Work?
Usually, the abortion provider administers the first drug, mifepristone, in a clinic or hospital. You can also obtain the two drugs through an approved provider and take them on your own.
Mifepristone blocks a hormone called progesterone from reaching the uterus. Progesterone is a vital hormone for the growth and development of every pregnancy. Without it, the lining on the uterine wall thins, causing the attached embryo to no longer remain implanted.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions to push the detached embryo and other pregnancy tissue from the body through the vagina.
Am I Eligible For the Abortion Pill?
The following are the recommendations for taking the abortion pill:
- The FDA approves the use of mifepristone through 10 weeks of pregnancy only (70 days from the first day of your last period).
- The Mayo Clinic recommends not using this method past 9 weeks (63 days).
- You cannot use this method if you have an IUD in place or an ectopic pregnancy.
- Do not use this method if you take specific drugs, have a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners, are allergic to the medications, or have certain heart or lung diseases.
- Do not take the drugs if you cannot make a follow-up visit to your provider or do not have access to emergency care.
What Do I Need to Know Beforehand?
- Confirm your pregnancy is growing and you haven’t miscarried. Experts estimate as many as 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. You can still get a positive pregnancy test result days or weeks following a miscarriage.
- Know how long you have been pregnant (gestational age) by weeks and days because the drugs become less effective the farther along you are.
- Be aware of potential complications such as an infection, incomplete abortion (where some of the fetal tissue remains in your body), or heavy and prolonged bleeding.
- Receive STI testing before taking the drugs.
- Learn if your pregnancy is ectopic.
- Discuss your mental health with your healthcare provider. Studies show that some women may experience adverse mental health issues due to their abortion.
How Can I Get the Information I Need?
Schedule a free and confidential appointment with our medical staff at AscentCare. Depending on the results, we’ll provide you with no-cost pregnancy testing and an ultrasound.
An ultrasound is the most accurate way to determine how far along you are, the pregnancy’s location, and confirm if it is growing or if you have miscarried. In addition, we test for the more common STIs.
Although we do not perform or refer for abortions, we can give you the information you need before moving forward.
We care about your physical and emotional health. Let AscentCare inform you so you can make a confident choice. Sign up for an appointment online or call or text (518) 739-3388.