Safe Medical Abortion

Abortion is performed with tablets.

Abortion via medical means is also sometimes referred to as an Abortion with Pills. This technique is also known by the names self-induced abortion, self-managed abortion, and do-it-yourself (DIY) abortion, among other words.

You should prepare yourself for bleeding and cramps if you choose to utilize abortion pills. The symptoms are comparable to those of your monthly period or those you would experience if you were experiencing a miscarriage (natural abortion).

When people talk about taking abortion pills, they often mean taking Mifepristone and Misoprostol one after the other or taking Misoprostol alone.

Mifepristone

Mifepristone is a medicine that restricts the release of progesterone, which is a hormone that helps sustain the pregnancy. Mifepristone is used to terminate pregnancies. The pregnancy can’t progress in the absence of progesterone. Because mifepristone is simply one component of what is collectively referred to as the abortion pill or medical abortion, taking it on its own will not result in a pregnancy being terminated. [3]

– Because Mifepristone also relaxes the cervix (the bottom portion of the uterus), the impact of misoprostol will be amplified by its use.

Mifepristone alone is not sufficient to induce an abortion; misoprostol is also required for this purpose.

Since of the rules and limitations in place in each nation, obtaining mifepristone might be challenging at times because its primary purpose is to induce an abortion or a spontaneous abortion in some instances.

Misoprostol

Misoprostol is a medicine that makes the uterus move (or contract), which helps to expel the pregnancy with discomfort and bleeding. Misoprostol works by causing the uterus to move (or contract).

Even while a medical abortion may be carried out with only misoprostol and without mifepristone, the procedure is more likely to succeed if both drugs are used simultaneously.

Because misoprostol may be used for a variety of other medical purposes in addition to abortion (such as inducing labor, treating postpartum hemorrhage and ulcers, etc.), it is often easier to get.

According to the World Health Organization, the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol are considered vital since they are used in the performance of abortions in a risk-free manner.

Follow the instructions on this page to ensure that your abortion with misoprostol and mifepristone is both safe and successful. Please go here if you are solely going to be utilizing misoprostol.

Contraindications before using abortion pills

Safety of abortion pills and Contraindications:

Abortion pills provide no significant health risks to most women, but there are several cases in which they should not be used. Just a few medical issues should prevent someone from utilizing abortion pills, and those diseases are rare.

Mifepristone is NOT advised for use if:

You have been using steroids for an extended period (such as Prednisone or Dexamethasone). On the other hand, if you solely use misoprostol, you may still have an abortion.

If one of the following conditions is met, neither Mifepristone nor Misoprostol should be taken:

  • Anticoagulants, often known as blood thinners, such as Heparin and Warfarin, are being administered to you.
  • You have a disease that causes you to bleed easily, such as porphyria.
  • You have been diagnosed with chronic adrenal failure.
  • You are allergic to Mifepristone, Misoprostol, or prostaglandins. If you have ever used them and had an allergic response, this is the only method to determine whether or not you are allergic to them. Before taking the medications, there is no way to tell for sure whether you will have an allergic reaction or not.
  • You have been diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy (outside the uterus). In this scenario, taking the abortion pills won’t put your health in danger, but they also won’t end the pregnancy. Seek medical attention as soon as possible if you suspect that you may be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.

Although having an intrauterine device (also known as an IUD) does not prevent a woman from taking abortion pills, it does necessitate that she take additional safety measures. If you are using an intrauterine device (IUD), you have a higher chance of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus. When taking the tablets while simultaneously having an IUD in place, you have a greater chance of experiencing more severe cramping. The safest course of action is to have the intrauterine device (IUD) removed before beginning the abortion pill regimen whenever that is feasible.

Please get in touch with us if you are unsure whether or not the abortion pills are safe for you to use. We can assist you in determining whether or not this approach is right for you.

Please remember that the staff at safe2choose has only been trained to assist women who want to utilize abortion pills during the first 13 weeks of their pregnancies. If you are farther along in your pregnancy, we will do all to get you a referral to a more capable institution that will help you.

What to anticipate throughout the medical abortion process with tablets

After taking the abortion pill, you will experience symptoms comparable to those of having your period or having a miscarriage. If you are using mifepristone, you will not typically experience any side effects from this medicine. The majority of the symptoms will not manifest themselves until after taking the misoprostol.

The following symptoms are expected to manifest themselves: cramping, bleeding, and maybe the passing of blood clots. It is usual for the bleeding and cramps to be at their worst during the first 48 hours after taking Misoprostol; however, you may continue to suffer bleeding on and off for many days or weeks.

Misoprostol may produce brief adverse effects, including fever, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and headaches. These side effects may go away once the medication is stopped. It is very typical if you do not experience any of these symptoms at all. If you do that, they will be gone forever within the following forty-eight hours or less.

Get in touch with us if you want to learn how to deal with the adverse effects.

how to know if the abortion pills were effective

How to determine whether or not the abortion pills were successful

It is quite probable that the medical abortion was adequate if you followed the directions for using the drugs exactly as prescribed and if you had bleeding as heavy as or heavier than your monthly period over several hours. After taking abortion pills, you should start to feel an improvement in your pregnancy symptoms (such as breast tenderness, nausea, and exhaustion), which should last for around 5 days until ultimately going away. This is another solid piece of evidence suggesting that the tablets were effective.

If you want further proof, which is not required, you may opt to do one of the following tests. However, it is not required:

  • Urine test: This is the most straightforward test that can be done for confirmation since it can be done in the privacy of your own home. It measures the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the urine. After using an abortion pill, it is suggested that you wait at least about 4 weeks before continuing with your pregnancy. If everything went according to plan, the test result should be negative in around a month.
  • Blood test (quantitative HCG): This test involves a visit to the doctor’s office, and it is most helpful when the same blood test is also done before taking the abortion pills to compare the hormone levels. This test is only beneficial when the same blood test is done. This test is not conducted regularly; thus, if you want confirmation, the urine test that was explained before is the one that is most often advised. If you decide to go ahead and have this test done, the pregnancy hormone should no longer be present around 4 weeks after you stopped taking the drug if the procedure was successful.
  • Ultrasound: To identify a continued pregnancy, this procedure, which needs a visit to the doctor, is necessary. Remember that even if the abortion pills were successful, some blood and tissue might be seen on the ultrasound for at least two weeks after the procedure. Even though the pregnancy is over, there are cases when the ultrasound is conducted too early, and women are given the diagnosis of having an “incomplete abortion.” This may result in people undergoing surgical treatments that are not required. You should wait at least two weeks before getting an ultrasound unless you have signs of issues that indicate you need an ultrasound sooner. In this case, you should have an ultrasound as soon as possible.

It is quite probable that the abortion was not successful if 48 hours have elapsed since you took the final dosage of misoprostol. You have not bled or if the volume of bleeding you are experiencing is much less than that of your period.

It is feasible to try again using abortion pills in most situations. Please get in touch with us if this describes your case so that we can assist.

Care medically about the use of the abortion pill

You do not need to seek medical attention if your symptoms are consistent with what would be anticipated and you do not have any warning indications. After the procedure, obtaining a pregnancy test or an ultrasound is not required, nor is undergoing surgical intervention, such as a D&C or other operation.

How to determine whether or not the abortion pills were successful

Menstruation and fertility after having an abortion

Following an abortion, whether surgical or medical, your cycle will begin again as if you had had your period. This will be true whether the abortion was surgical or medicinal. After around 10 days have passed, you will have another round of ovulation. This indicates that you have a chance of becoming pregnant again if you engage in sexual activity without using protection.
You should give some thought to pregnancy prevention techniques if you do not feel ready to start trying for another baby at this time. FindMyMethod.org is where further details may be discovered.

After using abortion pills, you may see your next period anywhere from four to six weeks later on average.

Authors:

By the team at safe2choose and the supporting specialists at career, based on the suggestions made by The National Abortion Fund for the year 2020. (NAF).

The National Abortion Federation is the professional organization of abortion providers that may be found throughout the United States and Canada.

People can regulate the number of children and how far apart they have them when they get convenient and expert abortion treatment and family planning from Sarafem.