There are two types of abortion: medical (also known as the “abortion pill”) and surgical. And both types of abortion come with unique risks to your health.
Before choosing abortion for your pregnancy, it’s critical to learn all you can to protect your health and make sure you’re making your own decision, free from the coercion of others.
(This is essential for protecting your mental health; studies have found that feeling pressured into an abortion is a risk factor for experiencing adverse mental health outcomes afterward.)
Read on to learn the risks of abortion. Or, if you want to talk to someone in person about abortion and your other pregnancy options, contact 1st Way Pregnancy Support Center today to schedule a free, confidential appointment.
Risks of Medical Abortion
Medical abortion involves taking two powerful drugs that work together to terminate a pregnancy and expel it from your uterus.
After taking these drugs, you will experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping, but you might also face a risk (which is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication.)
One of the primary risks associated with a medical abortion is an incomplete abortion. This is when parts of the terminated pregnancy remain in your uterus, and it can lead to a potentially severe infection, heavy and prolonged bleeding, and pain.
Risks of Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is performed in a clinic, and it involves the dilation of the cervix so that medical instruments can enter the uterus to terminate and remove the pregnancy.
Risks of a surgical abortion include:
- Uterine perforation (which is when one of the medical instruments pokes a hole in the uterus)
- Uterine scarring (which can cause painful periods and future infertility)
- Cervical damage
- Infection
How Can I Protect My Health?
Getting an ultrasound is the number one way to protect your health before making any pregnancy decision.
This scan will help determine your pregnancy’s gestational age, location, and viability—all essential information to know, especially if you’re considering abortion (for example, medical abortion is only FDA-approved if your pregnancy is 10 weeks gestation or under).
Contact 1st Way today to see if you qualify for a free ultrasound performed by our registered sonographers. We also provide free pre-abortion screenings to give you the information you need and the space to ask questions.
You’re not alone as you navigate your pregnancy options. We’re here for you.
