What Are the Risks of Abortion?
Abortion could seem like a simple fix to your unplanned pregnancy – but it comes with many risks including infection, incomplete abortion, damage to the cervix, and many mental effects. Keep reading to learn about all the potential risks of abortion – and become better informed about how abortion works.
Confirm you’re actually pregnant with lab-quality pregnancy testing and ultrasound at our center today.
Medical vs. Surgical Abortion Risks: What’s the Difference?
The Risks of Medical Abortion
Medical abortion, often called the abortion pill, involves taking two abortion drugs: Mifepristone and Misoprostol. These drugs work together (within 24-48 hours) to terminate an existing pregnancy and cause the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy through the vagina. The physical risks of medical abortion are…
- Incomplete abortion – may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy (if the procedure doesn’t work)
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
The Risks of Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is a procedure that terminates an existing pregnancy by removing the fetus from the uterus. This type of abortion involves dilating the opening to the uterus and inserting a small suction tube. The suction works to remove all parts of the pregnancy from the uterus. The physical risks of surgical abortion are…
- Damage to the womb or cervix
- Uterine perforation
- Scarring of the inside of the uterus
- Reaction to the medicines or anesthesia (such as problems breathing)
- Infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes
- Incomplete abortion (requiring another procedure)
- Excessive bleeding
Mental Health Effects of Abortion
Psychotherapist Vincent Rue’s study, “Induced Abortion and Traumatic Stress” shares that
65% of U.S. women experienced multiple symptoms of PTSD, which they attributed to their abortions.
According to a study done by Professor David Fergusson, many women experienced mental health effects after abortion. Two major findings include:
- Abortion was linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicidal behaviors.
- At age 25, 42% of the women experienced major depression during the previous four years, twice that of other women.
Free Pregnancy Confirmation Services
Whether you’re still going back and forth between pregnancy options or not, pregnancy confirmation is necessary to know how far along you are in your pregnancy (as medical abortion is only available to women up to 10 weeks pregnant). An ultrasound will reveal if you have a healthy and growing pregnancy.
Contact us today to set up your free and confidential pregnancy confirmation appointment. Our compassionate team is here to inform you about all your pregnancy options. Same-day appointments are available!
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Will My Insurance Pay For My Girlfriend’s Abortion?
Are you worried about finances that come along with you and your partner’s pregnancy options? It can be confusing to understand insurance coverage of abortion and we hope to clear some of that up for you in this blog. Be informed today so you can make a confident decision for your future.
Will Insurance pay for my Girlfriend’s Abortion?
Most of the time, insurance companies will not cover your girlfriend’s abortion if you are not married. Policies are different from state to state, but normally insurance companies will not cover a partner on a policy unless they are a spouse.
If your partner has insurance, it could be covered under her individual insurance company. She will want to check with her insurance company for abortion coverage information, as some insurance companies do cover the cost of an abortion.
Cost of Abortion
If your partner does not have insurance coverage, you will need to pay out-of-pocket costs for abortion. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a first-trimester abortion can cost around $500 in the U.S. A second-trimester abortion normally costs around $1,000, and late-term abortion even higher, around $3,000 or more.
The cost of an abortion varies based on a couple of factors, including…
- How far along you are (determines what abortion procedure you have)
- Where you live (costs vary state to state)
- What abortion provider do you use
The Types of Abortion
Medical Abortion
Also called the abortion pill method, medical abortion terminates a pregnancy for women up to 10 weeks pregnant. Potential risks of medical abortion include incomplete abortion, heavy/prolonged bleeding, infection, and more.
Surgical Abortion
There are numerous types of surgical abortion procedures, all done at an abortion clinic. Each procedure causes the cervix to be dilated and surgical tools are used to remove the pregnancy. Potential risks of surgical abortion include perforation of the uterus, damage to the cervix, scar tissue on the uterine wall, and infection.
Learn Whether You Qualify
The first step to moving forward with any pregnancy option is understanding what options you’re eligible for. The only way to go about this is with lab-quality pregnancy testing and an ultrasound. An ultrasound reveals how far along your partner is and other vital pregnancy details so you both can move forward.
Schedule a free and confidential appointment today to confirm you and your partner’s pregnancy and learn more about your options.
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