Abortion Care

These should be discussed in detail at your consultation appointment. In brief, surgical abortions involve instruments and suction placed into your vagina and uterus, so there is a small risk of cervical injury or uterine perforation that could require further care, including possibly surgery. There is also a higher risk of infection with surgical abortion, although antibiotics are given to minimize this risk. 
 
Medication abortions may be less effective, especially later in pregnancy. Also, with medication abortions, the abortion process occurs at home, rather than in the clinic setting, and the bleeding and cramping may be more of a prolonged process than with the surgical procedure. 

The length of time from when you take the first pill until you finish passing the pregnancy is usually between 4-48 hours, and will be affected by how you are directed to use the medications. 

You’ll have lots of cramping and bleeding on the day the pregnancy comes out at home, and you may expect to continue to feel tired for 1 or 2 days after. Many people can go back to work and school, drive, walk, and do most other usual activities the next day if they feel up to it. It is not recommended that you do hard work or heavy exercise for several days. 

Expected side effects of medication abortion include abdominal/pelvic cramping and aching and heavy vaginal bleeding with large clots. Potential risks of medication abortion commonly include digestive system discomfort (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping) and fatigue. 
 
Less common risks include heavy, prolonged vaginal bleeding and/or blood clots in the uterus, infection, or an allergic reaction to one of the medications. It is also possible the procedure will not work, which may result in needing a surgical abortion to complete the process. 
 
If the medication abortion does not work and you decide to continue the pregnancy after taking the medication used in medication abortion, the pregnancy is at higher risk for major complications. 

Medication abortion has not been shown to affect future pregnancies, unless rare and serious complications develop. 

Not all individuals qualify for medical abortion, even if they are early in pregnancy; reasons may include having an intrauterine device (IUD) in place, having a suspected pregnancy outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy), or having certain medical conditions, including those which increase the risk of bleeding. 

How you feel during and after a medication abortion varies from person to person. Cramping and bleeding for several hours are an expected part of the procedure — like a heavy, crampy period — and many people manage well with over-the-counter pain medications. You can work with your health care provider to discuss what to expect in terms of pain and management strategies. 

This will depend on the medications used. For the most common regimen, first, you take a pill called mifepristone. This medicine stops the pregnancy from growing. The second medicine is called misoprostol. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to empty your uterus. 

You can start a new birth control method immediately after having a medication abortion. You can get pregnant very quickly after your abortion, so it’s a good idea to talk with your medical provider about birth control options before or at your abortion appointment. 

It’s normal to bleed and have some spotting for several weeks after your abortion. Abortion starts a new menstrual cycle, so your period will generally go back to your baseline normal 4-8 weeks after your abortion. 

There are claims about treatments that reverse the effects of medication abortion, but these claims have not been proven effective or safe by scientific methods, and are not endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). If someone takes the first medication for medication abortion and then has second thoughts, they need to consult with their abortion provider immediately about the best next steps and what to expect. 

The regulations vary widely depending on the state you live in, and different abortion providers will have different office procedures. Please check with your provider regarding their ability to mail these medications. 

To be sure that you are using a trusted abortion provider, use this online abortion finder to locate a trusted and verified telemedicine abortion provider. In addition, Planned Parenthood and South Avenue Women’s Services will never try to dissuade you from exercising your right to make decisions about your body.  

In order to help ensure that they are providing the correct medical care, abortion providers generally require the individual to take a pregnancy test — although not all providers will require proof of that positive pregnancy test, especially some telehealth providers. 

Talk to your UHS primary care provider about this.