If you’re pregnant, you may be curious about how abortion works.
There are two types of abortion: medical abortion and surgical abortion. Both types of abortion will terminate a progressing pregnancy.
Continue reading to learn more about their differences and how they can impact your health. If you’d prefer to talk in person, schedule a no-cost appointment at Palm Beach Women’s Clinic.
Medical Abortion
Medical abortion ends an early pregnancy. According to the FDA, medical abortion should only be used as a method of termination in the first ten weeks of pregnancy.
Also known as the “abortion pill,” medical abortion uses two drugs to terminate and expel the pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol. These are usually taken hours or days apart.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, which causes the lining of the uterus to thin, causing the pregnancy to detach and stop growing, ending the pregnancy.
Misoprostol then triggers the uterus to contract, which leads to abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding to expel the pregnancy and related tissue out of the body through the vagina.
Risks of Medical Abortion
Medical abortion comes with physical risks to consider, including:
- Incomplete abortion, which may require a follow-up surgical procedure
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive discomfort
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is a procedure used to terminate a pregnancy during or beyond the first trimester. However, its availability is often subject to state-set gestational limits.
During a surgical abortion procedure, the abortion provider dilates (opens) the uterus using a mixture of drugs or small instruments. Then, the provider will use a mixture of suction and surgical tools to remove the pregnancy from the uterus.
Risks of Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion can lead to the following risks:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall (which could lead to Asherman’s syndrome)
- Infection
Schedule a Pre-Abortion Consultation
Choosing to have an abortion is a serious medical decision.
It is critical to learn more about your unique pregnancy so that you can make the best decision for your health and future.
Palm Beach Women’s Clinic provides no-cost lab-quality pregnancy tests and follow-up ultrasound scans. Our medical staff can answer your questions and discuss your options.
Contact us today for your no-cost, confidential appointment.
