What Are The Types of Abortion?
Abortion is a major medical procedure and how far along you are will determine what type of abortion procedure you are eligible for. The two main types of abortion are medical abortion and surgical abortion, both working to terminate an existing pregnancy.
Medical Abortion (The Abortion Pill)
Known as the ‘abortion pill,’ medical abortion is a two-step process using mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone first works to block the womb from absorbing progesterone, the pregnancy hormone. This prevents the embryo from implanting or growing any further, ending the pregnancy.
Next, misoprostol is taken 24-48 hours later. It works to cause the uterus to go into contractions and expel the pregnancy through the vagina. Follow-up with a medical professional is always recommended to be sure the procedure was completed.
Risks of Medical Abortion
With such a major medical procedure comes serious risks, including:
- 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
Surgical Abortion
Depending on how far along you are will determine which type of surgical abortion procedure you could be eligible for.
A D&E (Dilation & Evacuation) and D&C (Dilation & Curettage) are the two types of surgical abortion. Each abortion procedure dilates your cervix and incorporates vacuum aspiration. Surgical tools are used to remove the pregnancy from the uterus.
Risks of Surgical Abortion
There are similar risks that come along with both types of surgical abortion procedures, including:
- Perforation of the uterus (when a surgical instrument pokes a hole in the uterus)
- Damage to the cervix
- Excessive bleeding
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
Confirm Your Options
To know if you qualify for abortion, pregnancy confirmation is necessary to confirm vital details of your pregnancy. First, get no-cost pregnancy testing at our center to be sure of your home pregnancy test results.
Do I Need An Ultrasound?
Yes! After getting positive lab-quality pregnancy test results, an ultrasound is necessary to confirm your pregnancy details, including:
- The viability of your pregnancy (whether it’s growing and healthy)
- The location of your pregnancy (if it’s growing within the uterus)
- The gestational age of your pregnancy (how far along you are)
Schedule a pregnancy confirmation appointment today to determine your next steps. We can better inform you about all your options as well.