While it’s impossible to know exactly how abortion will affect you physically afterward, the type of procedure can provide some clues.
Here are a few things to think about if you’re considering either medical or surgical abortion.
Medical Abortion
If you choose medical abortion, you know right away that you will experience the following:
- You will take two drugs in succession (mifepristone and misoprostol).
- Mifepristone, the first drug, will end the pregnancy.
- Misoprostol will trigger uterine contractions to expel the pregnancy and related tissue, leading to abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding.
After these basic facts, the other physical effects will vary based on the woman. You will not know the exact level of pain, as it can differ for each woman and depend on how far along you are in your pregnancy.
You could experience these side effects: headache, nausea, vomiting, chills, and diarrhea.
While not every woman who has a medical abortion will experience a complication, you should be aware of the risks before making a decision. These risks include incomplete abortion, an ongoing pregnancy, infection, heavy and prolonged bleeding, fever, and digestive system discomfort.
Having access to follow-up appointments with a provider and emergency care is critical for protecting your health and safety when undergoing a medical abortion.
Surgical Abortion
With a surgical abortion, you typically will experience the following:
- The procedure will happen in a clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital setting.
- A licensed medical provider will perform the procedure.
- It will require a form of dilation (opening), either small instruments or a drug (misoprostol), to open up or soften your cervix.
- Depending on the provider, you may have a choice between local anesthesia or sedation.
During a surgical abortion, a provider will remove the pregnancy and related tissue through a mixture of suction and surgical tools.
You could experience side effects of mild cramping and spotting or light bleeding for a few days afterward.
Again, you should be aware of the risks, which include perforation of the uterus (when a surgical instrument pokes a hole in your uterus), infection, damage to the cervix, and scar tissue on the uterine wall.
You Have Options
You have many pregnancy options in Ohio. Visit Reach Out Pregnancy Center for no-cost information, pregnancy testing, and an ultrasound scan.
An ultrasound scan will verify critical details about your pregnancy, such as how far along you are (gestational age), whether or not you miscarried, and if there’s a chance your pregnancy could be ectopic.
Schedule your no-cost, confidential appointment today!
Reach Out Pregnancy Center does not refer for or provide abortions.
