Before any pregnancy decision, researching your options is critical. And if you’re considering abortion, understanding the side effects and risks of each procedure is a crucial step.
Hope Bridge Pregnancy Resource Center provides free, confidential services, including medically accurate information. We’re here to supply the facts you need to move forward.
Continue reading to learn more about abortion as a pregnancy option.
What You Should Know
Abortion is a significant medical decision, and it’s critical to research procedures before deciding.
The two main procedures are medical abortion and surgical abortion. Medical abortion is FDA-approved through ten weeks gestation (how long you have been pregnant). Abortion providers typically perform surgical abortions in later gestational stages.
Medical Abortion
During a medical abortion, two drugs terminate the pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, and misoprostol causes uterine contractions that expel the pregnancy tissue.
If you undergo this process, you’ll have vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping. Certain risks, while rare, can also occur. These include:
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
- Heavy, prolonged bleeding
- Incomplete abortion (which may require surgical treatment)
- An ongoing pregnancy (if the drugs don’t work)
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion uses medication, surgical instruments, or suctioning to remove the pregnancy. The provider may use multiple techniques during the procedure.
As with a medical abortion, you’ll have bleeding and cramping with a surgical abortion procedure. But the risks involved, though rare, can be severe:
- Infection
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Uterine perforation
Regardless of your abortion procedure, if your bleeding worsens, you develop a high fever, or you experience severe pain, you should seek immediate medical attention. Your health is the priority.
Before Deciding
Regardless of your pregnancy decision, safeguarding your health and receiving the facts are essential.
Hope Bridge Pregnancy Resource Center provides free ultrasounds with a positive pregnancy test. An ultrasound confirms key pregnancy details, including viability (if the pregnancy is growing with a detectable heartbeat), gestational age, and location.
You need this information to determine your next steps and identify whether you’ve suffered a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. The latter always requires immediate medical treatment.
Our center also provides free, confidential options assessments. You’ll learn about abortion, making an adoption plan, and parenting. If you choose adoption or parenting, we’ll connect you to community resources and help you get started.
We’re Here For You
Hope Bridge Pregnancy Resource Center provides the information and resources to make a confident pregnancy decision. We don’t provide or refer for abortions, but we offer accurate information in a respectful, non-judgmental environment.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. You’re not alone during an unexpected pregnancy.