If you’re experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, it’s important to understand your options thoroughly. Abortion is a medical procedure designed to end a pregnancy, but it’s essential to confirm that you’re pregnant before making any decisions.
Sometimes, other conditions can mimic common pregnancy symptoms. Safe Harbor Women’s Medical Clinic offers no-cost pregnancy testing, and first-trimester limited ultrasounds to confirm your pregnancy and provide critical health information. Reach out to us to make an appointment.
Keep reading to learn more about how abortion ends a pregnancy.
How Does Abortion End Your Pregnancy?
There are two main types of abortion: medical and surgical. Each works differently to terminate a pregnancy and carries its own risks and side effects.
Medical Abortion
A medical abortion, commonly referred to as the abortion pill, ends a pregnancy using a combination of two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. It’s performed early in pregnancy.
Mifepristone works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary to sustain the pregnancy. After taking mifepristone, misoprostol is taken 24-48 hours later. This drug causes the uterus to contract, leading to cramping in the stomach area and vaginal bleeding, which expels the pregnancy and related tissue. Once the process is complete, the pregnancy is over.
Medical abortion may only use drugs, but it is still a serious medical procedure, and it is essential to be aware of its potential risks before proceeding.
Surgical Abortion
A surgical abortion typically takes place later in pregnancy and involves surgically terminating and removing a pregnancy from your body.
This procedure begins with the abortion provider dilating (opening) the cervix to access the uterus using medications or small surgical instruments.
The provider then uses a combination of suction and a surgical tool called a curette to remove the pregnancy and associated tissue from the uterus. Suction clears most of the tissue, while a curette scrapes the uterine walls to ensure the uterus is fully emptied.
Verify Your Pregnancy
Before considering abortion, it’s vital to verify your pregnancy and gather accurate information about your health.
At Safe Harbor Women’s Medical Clinic, we provide no-cost lab-quality pregnancy testing and first-trimester limited ultrasounds to determine how far along you are and confirm your pregnancy is progressing with a heartbeat inside the uterus.
We are here to walk you through all your options in a safe, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment.
Schedule your no-cost appointment today. You don’t have to face this alone.
*All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.