When faced with the decision of whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the available options and the potential physical consequences associated with abortion pills.
Read this article to understand better the impact of abortion pills, commonly referred to as medication abortion or medical abortion, as well as essential health screenings to take before an abortion procedure.
How do Abortion Pills Work?
Abortion pills are a series of two different drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol.
The first drug, mifepristone, is an antiprogestin. This pill means that it prevents the pregnancy from receiving progesterone and prevents it from developing.
24-48 hours later, misoprostol is taken and induces uterine cramping to empty the uterus of the pregnancy and related tissues.
What Are the Side Effects of the Abortion Pills?
Some of the potential side effects include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Digestive discomfort
- Feeling faint
What are the Physical Consequences?
Some of the possible physical consequences 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
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Schedule a Free Pre-Abortion Screening
In addition to researching medication abortions, it’s a good idea to schedule a preventative health screening via ultrasound.
At AscentCare, we offer no-cost limited ultrasounds so that you can learn important details such as:
- Pregnancy’s gestational age– Because medication abortions are only FDA-approved through 10 weeks, knowing the pregnancy’s gestational age can help you understand your options.
- Pregnancy location– Healthy pregnancies are located inside the uterus. If the pregnancy is located outside of the uterus, this is an ectopic pregnancy and can be life-threatening if left untreated. Ectopic pregnancies require procedures other than abortion.
- Pregnancy viability- 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and require a procedure other than an abortion. An ultrasound will confirm your pregnancy’s viability.
Contact us today to schedule your no-cost ultrasound, learn about local resources, and gather crucial information about your pregnancy.