Chemical abortion is a method used to terminate a pregnancy through a drug regimen. To help protect your health and wellness, as with any medical procedure or drug, speaking with a trusted provider or pregnancy center is important before considering a chemical abortion.
How Does a Chemical Abortion Work?
A chemical abortion is also known as an at-home or medical abortion. This process uses two drugs to end a pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol. These two drugs combined are also referred to as the abortion pill.
Here’s how it works:
Mifepristone blocks an essential pregnancy hormone called progesterone. Without this hormone, the uterine walls begin thinning, and the fetus is detached from the uterus (where a pregnancy survives).
Next, misoprostol is used and causes contractions to occur. The body then pushes the fetus through the vagina, and the pregnancy is terminated.
What Should I Do Before a Chemical Abortion?
Before having a chemical abortion, a few items to consider are:
Taking a medical-grade pregnancy test and having an ultrasound. This will confirm your pregnancy and that it is not ectopic. If an ectopic pregnancy is present, immediate intervention is needed, and chemical abortion is not an option.
Receive a complete physical. By having an in-depth exam, women and their physicians can understand if their health qualifies for this procedure or if there are certain risks they should be aware of.
Discuss any medications you are currently on. There are over 200 medications not recommended to take with mifepristone. Know the risks. Understanding risks and what symptoms you should be on the lookout for is essential in protecting your health. Some risks to discuss with a professional are:
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
Where Can I Go for More Information?
To receive more information on how chemical abortion could impact you or wish to receive a free pregnancy test and ultrasound, contact us today. All appointments are free and confidential.
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