All medical procedures and even over-the-counter drugs come with risks and side effects to consider. Abortion is no different. If you’re considering an abortion procedure, it’s important to evaluate the risks, get an ultrasound, and review your medical history.
Visit Hope Family Services to receive pregnancy services and education about your pregnancy options, including abortion. Keep reading for more details on abortion risks.
Medical Abortion (The Abortion Pill)
The first type of abortion procedure (typically done in the first trimester) is a medical abortion. With this abortion type, two drugs are taken a couple of days apart to end the pregnancy and cause the body to expel it.
The FDA only recommends women through 10 weeks of pregnancy for a medical abortion. Some potential risks of medical abortion include:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Surgical Abortion
The second type of abortion is called a surgical abortion. It works to terminate and remove a pregnancy from the uterus with numerous surgical tools and anesthesia. Common risks of surgical abortion include:
- Abdominal Pain
- Infection
- Heavy Bleeding
- Fever
- Cramps
- Uterine perforation (a tear in the uterine lining.)
Before An Abortion
There are steps to take before an abortion to protect your health and get clarity on your pregnancy options. To know if you’re eligible for any type of abortion, not only is a positive pregnancy test needed, but an ultrasound is needed to confirm your pregnancy details.
We offer no-cost, lab-quality pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds so you can move forward with clarity and safeguard your health. Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can help you better understand the risks if you need more information.
You are not alone. Call us at (256) 237-9999 to schedule a no-cost appointment today.