Medical Abortion

About The Pill

Medical Abortion

1The Abortion Pill, also called Medication Abortion, RU-486, Medical Abortion, or Chemical Abortion

You may have heard of the abortion pill referred to by different names, even a “missed period pill.” Even though the terms may be different, the medication is the same, and has the same function – ending the life of a growing and living fetus in your uterus. The abortion pill is not the same as emergency contraception (i.e. Morning After Pill, Plan B, Ella). Medical abortion is a procedure that uses medication to end a known pregnancy up to 10 weeks gestation. The effectiveness of the regimen decreases and the health risks increase after 10 weeks. Before a medication abortion, you should be given a physical examination to determine whether you’re a candidate for medication abortion and you should be given an ultrasound to ensure that you really are pregnant and within the gestational dating that it can be prescribed. Unfortunately, women have been given the abortion pill when they were not even pregnant, or way beyond the time period that it could be effective.

Note: Ordering the abortion pill online bypasses all of the safeguards such as ultrasound that protect you from a missed ectopic pregnancy or severe complications. You may not even know for sure what pills you are given, or if you are actually pregnant. Visit athomeabortionfacts.com for more information.

The Process

1. First, you will be given a drug called mifepristone. Mifepristone prevents the essential pregnancy hormone progesterone from nourishing the fetus. That will most likely cause the death of your baby, thus ending your pregnancy.

2. Second, you will be given another drug – misoprostol – that will cause you to expel the embryo or fetus from your body. Women are usually not in their doctor’s office when they feel the effects of this drug.

3. Third, about seven to fourteen days after the first drug, you should follow-up with your doctor to ensure the abortion was complete. If there is anything left over, it may require a surgical abortion in some cases. This is a potentially serious condition, and this follow-up appointment is very important.

Side Effects

Allergic Reaction

Severe reactions to the medication could be fatal. Seek medical attention immediately.

Infection & Untreated Ectopic Pregnancy

An infection or ectopic pregnancy may be severe enough to be life-threatening. Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy outside of your uterus, and can be detected through ultrasound. The abortion pill does not end or treat an ectopic pregnancy. Delaying emergency care for your ectopic pregnancy is extremely dangerous. Seek medical attention immediately.

Blood Clots & Heavy Bleeding

We urge you to seek emergency care if you experience excessive bleeding or clotting, which is defined as filling up more than 2 pads within 1 hour and occurs for 2 hours or more, or blood clots that occur for 2 hours or more. Even if you aren’t blooding or clotting that much, we still urge you to have a follow up visit with your OBGYN or emergency care.

Continued Pregnancy

If the abortion fails (incomplete abortion), you may have fetal remains left in your uterus, which would require another abortion (surgical abortion) to remove the body parts and other pregnancy contents. There have also been cases where babies have survived attempted abortions and could have a chance at life. Please see your OBGYN or emergency care asap.

Mental & Emotional Impacts

It is true that many women feel relief directly after having an abortion. They may feel like, for a time, their problem has been solved. But what is not spoken about enough is the long term mental and emotional impacts an abortion can have on a person. Once that immediate crisis has faded, you may realize what you have done, and you may have regret. We have counseled many women at our center who have experienced deep trauma from an abortion. Many have experienced guilt, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, relationship issues, and emotional distress, and some have even attempted suicide because of the weight of that decision. The abortion pill is now the most common form of abortion, but formal data is lacking on how the experience of giving yourself an abortion and seeing baby parts expelled could impact long term mental and emotional health. Reach out to speak to someone who has been through an abortion themselves. Visit our recovery tab for more info on available abortion recovery programs.

Confirm your Pregnancy With Us

There is no need to make an abortion decision now if you have not taken a medical grade pregnancy test yet. Even if you have taken a home test, it’s wise to take a medical grade test and have an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. We can provide this for you at FCC. Your first visit with us, will also be able to meet with a trained counselor who will listen to your concerns, offer hope for your situation, walk you through your options, and explain the help we have to offer. We will give you a medical pregnancy test and an ultrasound (at our nurse’s discretion).

Importance of an Ultrasound

Ultrasounds are highly effective and safe tool for making sure that you are pregnant, measuring how far along you are, and determining if your pregnancy is viable. Both of those factors are essential to know before you get a medication abortion. We can provide an ultrasound for you free of cost.