In today’s world, nearly every item is available for purchase online. In some areas, the abortion pill is now available to be shipped to your door. Although this may seem convenient, this new method of purchasing the abortion pill poses a great risk to women.
The following risks of ordering the abortion pill online are receiving substandard medications, not knowing exactly how far along you are, and not testing for an ectopic pregnancy.
What Is the Abortion Pill?
The abortion pill is actually a series of two pills. Mifepristone is used in a two-step combination with another medication, Misoprostol, in early pregnancy to induce an abortion. The first pill blocks progesterone to prevent growth, and the second pill facilitates the expelling of the pregnancy.
The abortion pill should not be used if it has been more than 70 days (10 weeks) since your last period. This is the reason why a pre-abortion ultrasound is important: determining your number of weeks.
What Are the Risks of the Abortion Pill?
The Mayo Clinic notes the following potential risks of medical abortion:
- 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
- Digestive system discomfort
The FDA cautions consumers against ordering medication online.
Possibility of Substandard Medication
Unfortunately, some online pharmacies dispense counterfeit, contaminated, or otherwise unsafe medications. There could be dosing errors or even chemical errors within these substandard medications. Without direct supervision of a doctor, this could be a large threat to your health.
Bypassing the Safeguard of Ultrasound
An ultrasound shares two things that are vitally important to understand prior to an abortion.
First, an ultrasound will help you determine how far along you are. No woman outside of the first ten weeks of pregnancy should take the abortion pill. Doing this could cause an incomplete abortion, typically requiring further surgery.
Second, an ultrasound will help determine the location of your pregnancy. This will help prevent ectopic pregnancies, which are often life-threatening.
Managing Your Risks
Meet with our team for an ultrasound to get accurate details about your situation. Our ultrasounds are performed at no cost, and we do not require insurance.
Manage your risks and get your questions answered. Schedule an appointment for a confidential ultrasound at no cost to you.