Abortion is considered illegal in a lot of countries. Although many have tried to justify their reasofor it. This guide is certainly not going to tell you whether abortion is wrong or right, however, we will talk about the procedures of abortion. Read through keenly if you want to know more about abortion.
What Is an Abortion?
An abortion involves using surgery or taking medicines to end a pregnancy. It’s also sometimes referred to as termination of pregnancy.
According to Planned Parenthood, about 1 in every 4 people who can get pregnant in the United States will have an abortion by the time they’re 45 years old.
Is Abortion Safe?
In general, abortion is very safe. It comes with small risks as any medical procedure does.
If you want a surgical abortion, you need to go to a doctor or a nurse with special training in a clinic or hospital. It can be very dangerous to try and end a pregnancy on your own.
If you want to have a medication abortion at home, it’s important to have access to accurate information, reliable abortion medications, and safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive care within the formal medical system in case you need it.
Why abortion might be considered
There are many reasowhy you might decide to have an abortion, including:
- your personal circumstances, your own well-being, your children, or others you may care for
- your health may be at risk
- there’s a high risk the pregnancy will lead to a baby with serious abnormalities or serious fetal anomalies
Risks
Potential risks of medical abortion 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
If you decide to continue the pregnancy after taking medicine used in medical abortion, your pregnancy may be at risk of major complications.
Medical abortion hasn’t been shown to affect future pregnancies unless complicatiodevelop.
Medical abortion isn’t an option if you:
- Are too far along in your pregnancy? You shouldn’t attempt a medical abortion if you’ve been pregnant for more than nine weeks (after the start of your last period). Some types of medical abortioaren’t done after seven weeks of pregnancy.
- Have an intrauterine device (IUD) currently in place.
- Have a suspected pregnancy outside of the uterus. This is called an ectopic pregnancy.
- Have certain medical conditions. These include 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.
- Has an allergy to the medicine used?
A surgical procedure called a dilation and curettage (D&C) may be an option if you can’t have a medical abortion.
How you prepare
- Before a medical abortion, your healthcare provider will likely:
- Evaluate your medical history and overall health
- Confirm your pregnancy with a physical exam
- Do an ultrasound exam to date the pregnancy and check that it’s not outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy) and not a tumor that developed in the uterus (molar pregnancy)
- Do blood and urine tests
- Explain how the procedure works, the side effects, and possible risks and complications
Making the decision to have an abortion might not be easy. Consider seeking support from your partner, a family member, or a friend as you think about your options. Talk with your healthcare provider to get answers to your questions, help you weigh alternatives, and consider the impact the procedure may have on your future.
No healthcare provider is required to perform an elective abortion. In some places, an elective abortion may not be legal. Or there may be certain legal requirements and waiting periods to follow before having an elective abortion. If you’re having an abortion procedure for a miscarriage, there are no special legal requirements or waiting periods required.
What you can expect
Medical abortion doesn’t require surgery or anesthesia. The procedure can be started in a medical office or clinic. A medical abortion can also be done at home, though you’ll still need to visit your healthcare provider to be sure there are no complications.
What Are the Types of Abortion?
There are different ways to perform an abortion. Your healthcare provider might recommend a type based on your personal choices, how far along you are in your pregnancy, or other circumstances.
Medication Abortion
A medication abortion sometimes referred to as a medical abortion, involves taking medicatioto end your pregnancy.
This type of abortion is typically only an option up until 11 weeks from your last menstrual period, per Planned Parenthood. However, some insurance companies won’t cover a medication abortion after seven weeks of pregnancy.
Medication abortion is about 95 percent effective at helping someone completely pass a pregnancy without surgery.
The most common medicatiogiven for medication abortion are mifepristone (Mifeprex, RU-486) and misoprostol (Cytotec). Mifepristone blocks the action of the hormone progesterone, which is important for pregnancy. Misoprostol prompts the uterus to contract and empty.
A healthcare provider will give you these medicines at a health clinic. You may take them at the facility or at home, depending on your state laws and your provider’s policies.
You will need to see your provider at least two times: once before taking the medicines and once after you’ve completed the treatment to confirm that the abortion worked.
Medication abortiocan take up to 24 hours to complete.
Medication abortion is different than emergency contraception, of which the most common is known as the “morning-after pill.” Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy, while medication abortion is used to terminate a pregnancy.
Surgical Abortion
A surgical abortion, or an “in-clinic abortion,” is a procedure that’s done to remove the pregnancy tissue from a person’s womb (uterus).
According to Planned Parenthood, the two types of surgical abortioare:
- Suction Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration) With this technique, gentle suction is used to empty the uterus. A suction abortion can be performed until about 14 to 16 weeks after your last period. This is the most common type of in-clinic abortion.
- Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) Abortion A D&E involves using suction and surgical instruments to empty a woman’s uterus. Doctors may recommend this type of procedure if it’s been 16 weeks or longer since your last period.
Abortion Later in Pregnancy
Abortiooccurring at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy are extremely uncommon. Abortioat this stage of pregnancy are sometimes called “late-term abortions,” although this is a nonmedical term that many healthcare providers take issue with.
How do abortion pills work to end a pregnancy?
Most medication abortioinvolve taking two different medications: mifepristone followed by misoprostol. However, you can also complete a medication abortion by using misoprostol on its own.
Mifepristone stops a pregnancy from growing, and misoprostol causes the uterus to shed its lining and empty itself.
Mifepristone
Mifepristone bindsTrusted Source to the body’s progesterone receptors, but the body doesn’t read it as progesterone. That meait affects the body like an antiprogestin, which blocks the body from making or using progesterone properly.
Since progesterone helps the uterus grow and sustain a pregnancy, stopping progesterone activity can help end a pregnancy.
Mifepristone can also soften the uterus and encourage it to contract.
Misoprostol
Misoprostol softethe cervix, too. The combination of the uterus and cervix softening, the antiprogestin activity, and the uterine contractiocause your body to expel the embryonic tissue, ending the pregnancy.
The abortion itself may feel like a very heavy period with cramping and bleeding. You may also pass large blood clots.
The process is usually complete within 4–5 hours of taking the second medication, but some milder cramping and bleeding or spotting may continue for 1–2 days or up to a few weeks.
If someone doesn’t have access to mifepristone, misoprostol can be used on its own to induce an abortion, though it may be less effective than the combination of both pills.
After the procedure
Sigand symptoms that may require medical attention after a medical abortion include:
- Heavy bleeding — soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours
- Severe abdominal or back pain
- Fever lasting more than 24 hours
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
After a medical abortion, you’ll need a follow-up visit with your provider to make sure you’re healing properly and to evaluate your uterine size, bleeding, and any sigof infection. To reduce the risk of infection, don’t put anything into your vagina for two weeks after the abortion.
Your healthcare provider may ask if you still feel pregnant if you saw the expulsion of the gestational sac or embryo, how much bleeding you had, and whether you’re still bleeding. If your provider suspects an incomplete abortion or ongoing pregnancy, you may need an ultrasound and possibly a surgical abortion.
After a medical abortion, you may have a mix of emotions, including relief, loss, sadness, or guilt. If these feelings bother you, it might help to talk to a counselor about them.
Does Abortion Affect Your Fertility?
If a trained healthcare provider safely gives you a surgical abortion, it shouldn’t cause you to have trouble getting pregnant in the future if you decide to have a baby. There’s an exception to this that’s linked to getting more than one surgical abortion in which the doctor uses an instrument called a curette. This could raise the chances for scarring of the inner lining of your womb, a condition called Asherman syndrome. That condition is tied to having a harder time getting pregnant later.
Preventing pregnancy
Ovulation usually occurs as soon as two weeks after a medical abortion, and another pregnancy is possible even before your period begins. Before the abortion, talk to your provider about contraception that you can start as soon as the procedure is over.
Conclusion
In conclusion, abortion is not advised, but when it becomes necessary, it can be done. Importantly, always seek advice from a doctor before making any move.