There are two types of abortion procedures: medical and surgical. Both come with inherent risks to your health that you should be aware of before proceeding with one.
No matter what type, remember that abortion is a serious medical procedure. You’ll want to be well-informed to make the best decision to safeguard your health.
Two Types of Abortion
We’ll go over the two types of abortion and what you need to look out for when seeking one.
Medical Abortion
A medical abortion uses two powerful drugs to terminate a pregnancy. It’s also known as the “abortion pill.” This method is FDA-approved through 10 weeks gestation (how long you’ve been pregnant.)
Mifepristone is taken first, which blocks the pregnancy hormone progesterone. Next, misoprostol is administered, which causes abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding, as well as contractions that expel the pregnancy and related tissue out of the vagina.
Here are the risks of a medical abortion, which include:
- 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
A surgical abortion is a procedure usually used if a woman is more than 10 weeks pregnant, as a medical abortion would no longer be an option. Surgical abortions dilate the cervix and use a combination of medical instruments, such as scraping and/or suction tools, to end a pregnancy.
Surgical abortions have the same risks as a medical abortion but additional, more severe ones to be aware of, such as:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
Furthermore, some of these risks can lead to unusual, absent, or painful menstrual cycles, future miscarriages, and infertility.
Protect Your Health
We’ve only gone over some of the risks of abortion procedures. There’s much more to consider if you’re dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.
Care Net Pregnancy Center is here to provide you with free quality pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and so much more so you can feel confident about making your pregnancy decision.
Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential appointment.
