Facing an unplanned pregnancy is hard. Before you decide which option is best, you deserve to know the facts. Here’s what you need to know about abortion:
The Types of Abortion
There are two main types of abortion, medical and surgical. Which procedure you have is determined by how far along you are in your pregnancy.
If you’ve been pregnant for 70 days or less from the first day of your last menstrual period, you qualify for a medical abortion. Normally, if you’re past 70 days, you’d have a surgical abortion. An ultrasound is the best way to measure how far along your pregnancy is.
Medical Abortion
You may have heard about the abortion pill. This is a form of medical abortion. It uses two powerful drugs over a 24 to 48 hour period to terminate a pregnancy.
The first drug is mifepristone. This drug blocks the uterus from absorbing the progesterone needed for pregnancy growth. Mifepristone has been a highly regulated drug because of the risks involved.
The second drug is misoprostol. It causes contractions so your body expels the pregnancy.
Possible Side Effects and Risks:
- Emotional trauma
- Incomplete abortion
- Heavy bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Feeling sick
- Fever
- Infection
- Emotional trauma
Surgical Abortion
Surgical methods depend on how far along you are in your pregnancy. Each method requires anesthesia and dilation (opening) of the cervix.
The earliest method is called Vacuum Aspiration. It uses a device much like a vacuum to suck out the pregnancy. The next procedure is called dilation and curettage (D & C). It involves using the same vacuum method but also requires the use of a sharp instrument to scrape the uterus.
Finally, dilation and evacuation (D & E) is a procedure used when you’ve been pregnant longer. It uses all of the other devices as well as forceps to pull larger parts of the baby out of the uterus.
Possible Side Effects And Risks:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Infection
- Dizziness
- Heavy bleeding
- Emotional trauma
Here When You Need Us
Choosing abortion is a big decision. As you can see, there are definite risks involved. Our Life Coaches will talk with you for free about abortion procedures and what you can expect. Make sure you’re fully informed before you choose abortion.
Contact us first to get accurate information.