Both medical and surgical abortion have major effects on women physically, especially those with pre-existing conditions. It’s important to understand the risks and side effects. 

Keep reading to learn how abortion may affect you physically and the steps to take to safeguard your health before making a pregnancy decision.

Risks of Medical Abortion

The two drugs involved with a medical abortion include mifepristone and misoprostol. These work together to terminate an existing pregnancy. Common physical risks of this type of abortion procedure include: 

• Incomplete abortion, which could lead to infection if not treated
• Continued pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
• Heavy and prolonged bleeding
• Infection
• Fever
• Digestive system discomfort

The Mayo Clinic states that medical abortion is NOT an option for you if you:

• Are more than ten weeks along in your pregnancy
• Have an intrauterine device (IUD) currently in place
• Have a suspected pregnancy outside of the uterus, known as an ectopic pregnancy.
• Have certain medical conditions, such as bleeding disorders, certain heart or blood vessel diseases, severe liver, kidney, or lung disease, or an uncontrolled seizure disorder
• Take a blood thinner or certain steroid medicines
• Can’t make follow-up visits to your provider or don’t have access to emergency care
• Have an allergy to the drugs used

Risks of Surgical Abortion

The two main types of surgical abortion are Dilation & Evacuation (D&E) and Dilation & Curettage (D&C). 

Each abortion type dilates your cervix and incorporates vacuum aspiration as well as surgical tools to remove the pregnancy from the uterus. 

The most common type of surgical abortion procedure is called dilation and curettage (D&C). Common risks and complications of this surgical abortion include:

• Perforation of the uterus
• Damage to the cervix
• Scar tissue on the uterine wall
• Infection

Be Better Informed

If you’re still wondering whether abortion is worth the physical risks, talk to us today. We can better inform you about abortion and help you make an informed decision. We can also walk you through pregnancy confirmation with a free pregnancy test, and then we can determine if you qualify for a limited ultrasound after that. 

Meet with one of our caring pregnancy decision consultants and find clarity. All of our support is confidential and free of charge. 

Contact us today. You are not alone.