If you are considering abortion for your unplanned pregnancy, you’re asking the right question, and you’ve come to the right place. Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can answer your questions with factual information so you can make a confident decision.
It’s essential to be aware of the physical and psychological risks of abortion. Physical complications like an incomplete abortion, heavy and prolonged bleeding, and infection are possible.
Plus, some women struggle with mental health consequences. Talking with your healthcare provider before making a decision is critical.
Are There Physical Risks of Abortion?
There are physical risks to any serious medical procedure, and abortion is no exception. The two types of abortion are medical and surgical. Which type you have is determined by how far along you are in your pregnancy.
Medical Abortion (also known as the abortion pill method)
A medical abortion uses two powerful drugs over a 24 to 48-hour period to terminate a pregnancy. One of the drugs is highly regulated by the FDA and is only approved for use through 10 weeks of pregnancy. The farther along you are in your pregnancy, the less effective the drugs become.
Risks
According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the potential physical risks:
- An incomplete abortion is where the drugs terminate the pregnancy, but not all of the tissue exits the body.
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive symptoms such as an upset stomach
Surgical Abortion
Abortion providers perform surgical procedures in a clinic or a hospital. Surgical abortions usually require general or local anesthesia and dilation (opening) of the cervix. Providers might use suction, a scraping tool, or forceps, depending on how far along you are.
Risks
Bleeding and cramping are a part of every abortion. However, the Mayo Clinic lists these as possible physical risks of a surgical abortion:
- Perforation of the uterus (poking a hole)
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
Are There Emotional Risks?
There is a lot of debate about the emotional risks of having an abortion. One study found the following:
- Women who have had an abortion consistently have elevated rates of mental illness compared to women without a history of abortion.
- The abortion experience directly contributes to mental health problems for at least some women.
- There are risk factors, such as pre-existing mental illness, that identify women at greatest risk of mental health problems after an abortion.
Talking with a healthcare provider about your physical and mental health before an abortion is critical.
LaVie Health Offers Free Pre-Abortion Screening
Let our team of dedicated healthcare professionals assist you before deciding on abortion. Get the facts about your pregnancy first. We offer a free limited obstetrical ultrasound to give you the necessary information.
Our pre-abortion assessment answers the following questions:
- Where is your pregnancy located? Is the location safe?
- Is there a fetal heartbeat, or have you miscarried?
- How far along are you?
- Do you have an STD?
- What are your rights?
Schedule a confidential, no-cost appointment with LaVie Health. Fill out our online contact form to get started. We are now open at our new location and ready to serve you.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is accurate information at the time of writing.
