What are the Risks of Abortion?
If you’re considering abortion for your unexpected pregnancy, you deserve to know the truth about what to expect. Did you know there are definite side effects and several potential risks with each abortion method? Don’t choose this serious medical procedure without the facts. Here’s what medical experts have to say.
What are the Types of Abortion?
There are two types of abortion, medical and surgical. Which method you qualify for is determined by how far along your pregnancy is. Medical abortion is performed if you’ve been pregnant for 10 weeks or less. If the gestational age is longer than 10 weeks, you’ll have an in-clinic surgical abortion.
Medical Abortion
You may have heard about one method of medical abortion called the abortion pill. Contrary to its name, the abortion pill isn’t just one pill and it’s over. You actually take a series of powerful drugs over 24 to 48 hours.
The Mayo Clinic says, “Having a medical abortion is a major decision with emotional and psychological consequences. If you’re considering this procedure, make sure you understand what it entails, side effects, possible risks, complications, and alternatives.”
Side Effects and Potential Risks of Medical Abortion
Here’s a list provided by the Mayo Clinic of side effects and potential risks:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- A viable pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever, especially serious if longer than 24 hours
- Digestive system discomfort
- Abdominal cramping
Surgical Abortion
Once again, depending on how far along your pregnancy is determines the type of surgical procedure you’ll have. The procedures are more invasive the longer you’ve been pregnant.
Dilation and Curettage (D & C)
The Mayo Clinic provides detailed medical information on the side effects and risks of a D & C. This procedure begins after you’ve received general anesthesia. Afterward, your cervix is dilated (opened). Then, a surgical instrument called a curette is inserted into the uterus to remove the pregnancy. Curettes can be sharp or use suction (vacuum aspiration).
Side Effects and Potential Risks of This Type of Surgical Abortion
According to the Mayo Clinic, the side effects are fairly easy. They indicate you’ll feel mild cramping and spotting or light bleeding. However, they also list:
- Bleeding that’s heavy enough that you need to change pads every hour
- Fever
- Cramps lasting more than 48 hours
- Pain that gets worse instead of better
- Foul-smelling discharge from the vagina
In addition, surgical abortions run the risk of:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
You’ll also notice that the Mayo Clinic mentions abortion as having “emotional and psychological consequences” too. For some women, their emotional struggles after an abortion are devastating.
Let Us Assist You
At First Care, we can confirm your pregnancy with a lab-quality urine test at no cost to you. In addition, we offer free limited ultrasounds. Before scheduling an abortion, you need to know how far along you are if your pregnancy is growing, and where it’s located in your body.
We have four convenient locations that offer free and confidential pregnancy services. You deserve to know the facts and have your questions answered. Contact us today and let’s start the conversation.
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