There are several abortion methods used to end a pregnancy, and you deserve the information to make a confident decision.
At A Choice for Women, we provide medically accurate data to help you understand what you can expect from each type of abortion procedure and the potential risks.
Medical Abortion (The Abortion Pill)
Medical abortion ends a pregnancy through two different drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. These two drugs combined are also known as the abortion pill.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, an essential hormone in pregnancy, and causes the uterine walls to thin, causing the attached embryo to become detached.
The second drug, Misoprostol, causes birth-like contractions to remove the detached embryo and pregnancy tissue from the body through the vagina.
Potential risks of medical abortion include:
- Incomplete abortion, where some of the growing fetal tissue remains in the uterus
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection, to include fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortions take place when a woman undergoes an operation to terminate a pregnancy. The two types of surgical abortions are…
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C): small instruments or medication are used to dilate the cervix. Next, a surgical instrument called a curette, which can be a sharp instrument or suction device, is used to remove the pregnancy tissue and endometrium, terminating the pregnancy.
- Dilation and Evacuation (D&E): usually includes a combination of vacuum aspiration, dilation and curettage, and the use of surgical instruments (such as forceps) to remove the fetal and endometrial tissue, ending the pregnancy.
Potential risks of surgical abortion procedures include:
- Uterine perforation
- Cervical injury
- Infection/fever
- Excessive bleeding
Be sure to discuss the risks of both types of abortion with someone you trust. Talk to your local pregnancy center or provider to get clarity to make an informed decision for your future.
Before An Abortion
Make sure you have verified your pregnancy with a free pregnancy test and free limited ultrasound at A Choice for Women. Be fully prepared and informed about the various abortion procedures. Schedule an appointment with us and let us know how we can help you.
In the event of a positive test, we can provide financial assistance to help you. But to qualify for financial assistance, you will need to come in and talk to one of our counselors.