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What is the Abortion Pill?

Take a pill and your pregnancy worries are gone, right? That sounds easy enough! However, an abortion, any type of abortion, is a serious medical decision. Although the “abortion pill” is the popular name given to this procedure by an abortion clinic, it is not one pill, and it is not as easy as they would like you to believe. Get the facts before you choose the abortion pill method.

The Abortion Pill Procedure

There are two types of abortion, chemical and surgical. The abortion pill method is known as a chemical or medical abortion. Sometimes it is also called RU 486. You are only eligible for a medical abortion if you are less than ten weeks into your pregnancy. After nine or ten weeks, you would need to have a surgical abortion.

The abortion pill is a two-step process rather than just taking one drug. Before the abortionist can begin the procedure, you must have an ultrasound. The ultrasound determines how far along you are in your pregnancy, and if your pregnancy is viable. A viable pregnancy means a heartbeat is detected and the fetus is growing.

The Drugs You Take for a Chemical Abortion

Once you have had an ultrasound and determined your pregnancy is less than ten weeks along, you begin the abortion pill procedure. To begin, you take the first drug, mifepristone (Mifeprex®). This drug blocks the production of the hormone progesterone which is commonly referred to as the “pregnancy hormone.” Progesterone helps the fertilized egg implant on the wall of your uterus. Mifepristone causes the lining of the uterus to thin and prevents the fetus from staying implanted.

You are given the second drug, Misoprostol to take hours or even days after the Mifepristone. Misoprostol causes your body to cramp to expel the fetus.

Ordering the abortion pill online

It is currently illegal to purchase Mifeprex over the internet. According to the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the drug is only available legally to individual health care facilities, including clinics, medical offices, and hospitals. It is not available in retail pharmacies.

While searching online, you may come across a site that claims to sell and deliver real abortion pill medication. Known as “self-managed abortions,” these pharmaceutical sites are often located in other countries. Lawmakers recently discovered some pills were prescribed by an abortionist in the Netherlands and filled by a pharmacy in India.

If you tried to purchase the abortion pill online, you would not be able to verify the chemicals in the drugs. Since these online drugs are not required to comply with FDA safeguards, you have no assurance of their quality. Oversight by the FDA assures the manufacturing process and the facility meet the necessary standards.

Because it is dangerous and highly regulated, Mifeprex is only distributed through a restricted program called MIFEPREX REMS. In fact, the warning label even notes, “WARNING: SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL INFECTIONS OR BLEEDING.”

Risks and Side Effects of the Abortion Pill

It is vital to be under a doctor’s supervision when considering any abortion. Ask beforehand what the abortion doctor’s qualifications are and if they can help you in case of complications. Make sure they know your health history too.

The Mayo Clinic lists these as potential risks of the abortion pill method:

  • Abdominal cramping as you pass the fetus.
  • Heavy bleeding with blood clots also occurs due to passing the fetus.
  • A fever, which could indicate a pelvic infection, should be checked by a medical professional.
  • Occasionally, your medical abortion is incomplete, and you will have to return to finish the procedure.
  • Death by sepsis if the fetus is not completely expelled

Other Side Effects

An abortion has emotional as well as physical side effects. Often, women describe feelings of guilt, shame, and sadness after an abortion. Some women become very depressed and begin to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. In certain cases, post-abortion feelings can last a lifetime, so counseling is extremely important to work through your emotions.

Where to Begin

At Palm Beach Women’s Clinic, we can help you understand the abortion pill procedure or other abortion methods fully. In addition, we can confirm your pregnancy with confidential, no-cost pregnancy testing. If you receive a positive result, we can also perform a no-cost ultrasound to tell you how far along your pregnancy is.

Schedule a No-Cost Appointment

We truly care about you. Schedule your appointment today. Together, we will sit down and discuss your life situation and all your options for your unplanned pregnancy. You do not have to do this alone.

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