Abortion Procedures

Types of Abortion Procedures

There are two main types of abortion procedures done at different points of pregnancy. To be sure what options are available to you, confirm how far along your pregnancy is with an ultrasound following positive pregnancy testing.

The FDA only recommends that women have a medical abortion through 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Medical Abortion

Also known as the abortion pill, medical abortion consists of two different drugs that work together to terminate an existing pregnancy: mifepristone and misoprostol.

First, mifepristone works to block the progesterone hormone. This causes the uterus lining to thin and prevents the embryo from growing and staying attached to the uterus.

Second, misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy through the vagina.

Risks of Medical Abortion

Experiencing risks and side effects of mifepristone and misoprostol is not uncommon for women. These could include the following:

The body not releasing all pregnancy tissue in the uterus, also called an incomplete abortion (this may require surgical treatment)
An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
Heavy and prolonged bleeding
Infection
Fever
Digestive symptoms such as upset stomach

Side effects of medical abortion include upset stomach, chills, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and a headache. Abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding will occur during the process.

Surgical Abortion

Dilation & evacuation (D&E) and suction vacuum aspiration are the two types of surgical abortion. Each procedure dilates your cervix and incorporates a vacuum aspiration and other surgical tools to remove the pregnancy from the uterus.

A surgical abortion is completed at an abortion clinic or in the hospital.

Risks of Surgical Abortion

Each type of surgical abortion shares similar processes and risks. Some of these risks include:

Perforation of the uterus (when a surgical instrument pokes a hole in the uterus)
Damage to the cervix
Scar tissue on the uterine wall
Infection
Excessive bleeding

Understand Your Options

To fully understand your available pregnancy options, including abortion, confirm your pregnancy. Start with free, lab-quality pregnancy testing at our clinic. If you receive positive results with us, we can also offer you a no-cost limited ultrasound.

Once you’ve confirmed your pregnancy with us, we offer free abortion info consultations so you can get your questions answered. Schedule a no-cost appointment to get started.