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WHAT ARE AT-HOME ABORTIONS & ARE THEY SAFE?
An "at-home" abortion is the common name for a medication abortion. This type of abortion is done by taking the abortion pill.
"The abortion pill is a two-pill process that ends a pregnancy within the first 70 days of gestation."1 The first pill is called Mifepristone, and it blocks your body's ability to produce progesterone. Progesterone is what enables a pregnancy to develop. A doctor's office will generally administer this first pill. The second pill, Misoprostol, is sent with the patient to be taken orally at home. Misoprostol dispels the pregnancy from the uterus by causing contractions.2
There are 5 Major Risks that you should be aware of before you decide to schedule an appointment to retrieve the abortion pill:
1. Incomplete Abortion
The pill is not always effective in ending a pregnancy. If this occurs, an emergency surgery is required, because any tissue left from an incomplete abortion could produce deadly infections.3
2. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
If you have a chlamydia infection when you abort, you're at a 23% increased risk for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID has been known to cause many devastating health conditions, like infertility and ectopic pregnancies.4
3. Mental Health Issues
Because you are sent home to complete the abortion without the oversight of a medical professional, you are left without support. Some women have reported that they experience "significant mental health issues that are caused, triggered, aggravated, or complicated by their abortion experience."5
4. Wrong Timeline
Knowing the gestational age of your pregnancy is vital before deciding to abort your baby. "Having an accurate gestational age will ensure that the abortion pill is the right method for your abortion." How do you know the gestational age of your pregnancy? By getting an ultrasound. Relying on the date of your last menstrual period is not accurate enough to know your gestational age. The higher your gestational age, the less likely it is for an at-home abortion to succeed.6
5. Hemorrhaging
Hemorrhaging happens when a major blood loss occurs. Performing an abortion at home significantly increases your risk for hemorrhaging. Internal bleeding can be life threatening, and it could easily go unnoticed until it is too late.7
All women are entitled to accurate information in order to make an informed, educated decision regarding their pregnancy. If you have questions about the abortion pill or other pregnancy options, please contact our office at 304-344-4511.
Resources found at:
1-5: Mosaic Health, 2020, https://revealmosaic.com/top-5-risks-of-at-home-abortion-attempts/
6: Clearway Clinic, 2022, https://clearwayclinic.com/2022/05/19/risks-of-at-home-abortions-part-one/
7: Medical News, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327443#at-home-medical-solutions
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