What Are the Different Types of Abortion?
There are two main types of abortion: surgical and medication (also known as the “abortion pill”). The type of abortion you’re eligible to receive depends on many factors, such as the age of your pregnancy and your personal medical history.
If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering abortion, it’s essential to understand all you can about the process. Make an informed decision and protect your health. Read on to learn more about the different types of abortion.
Or, if you want to talk to someone in person about your pregnancy options, contact Options For Her to be connected to one of our caring team members. All appointments and resources are free and confidential.
Medication Abortion
A medication abortion involves taking two different, powerful drugs at home. These drugs work together to terminate a pregnancy and then force it from the uterus and through the vagina.
After taking the abortion drugs, you will experience abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. But you may also experience a risk. Risks are rare but can be severe and include:
- Incomplete abortion—which is when parts of the terminated pregnancy remain in your uterus
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Certain situations make you ineligible for the abortion drugs. Some of these include:
- Being past ten weeks gestation in your pregnancy (the abortion drugs are only FDA-approved if your pregnancy is ten weeks gestation or less)
- Having an intrauterine device (IUD) currently in place
- Having an ectopic pregnancy (which is when the pregnancy grows outside your uterus)
- Having certain medical conditions
- Taking a blood thinner or certain steroid medicines
- Not being able to make follow-up visits to your provider or don’t have access to emergency care
- Having an allergy to the medicine used
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is performed in a clinic and involves dilating the cervix so that medical instruments–including scraping tools and suction–can enter the uterus to terminate and remove the pregnancy.
After a surgical abortion, you will experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping. You might also experience:
- Uterine perforation or scarring
- Cervical damage
- Infection
Next Steps
Facing an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. At Options For Her, we’re here for you with free resources and services to help give you the information you need to move forward.
Before seeking an abortion, it’s essential to get an ultrasound. This scan will reveal the key details about your pregnancy you must know to stay safe. We offer free ultrasounds because we care about your health and want you to have all the facts you need to make an informed decision.
Contact us today to schedule your free appointment.
Pregnancy Testing
If you suspect you may be pregnant, you should speak with a trusted medical provider or pregnancy clinic. By discussing the best time to test and confirming your results with a quality pregnancy test and ultrasound, you can be sure of the results and begin planning your next step.
Ultrasound
Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to receive information that can be seen as an image on a screen. Determine what choices you have with an ultrasound. An ultrasound will alert you of any possible complications. It is an important step of the pregnancy confirmation process, as it confirms three different aspects of your pregnancy.
Mobile Unit
We offer pregnancy confirmation services at our Mobile Unit! Here is more about our pregnancy services, provided at no cost to you and completely confidential. If for some reason you can't come to us, we can come to you with our mobile unit.
Pregnancy Testing
If you suspect you may be pregnant, you should speak with a trusted medical provider or pregnancy clinic. By discussing the best time to test and confirming your results with a quality pregnancy test and ultrasound, you can be sure of the results and begin planning your next step.
Ultrasound
Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to receive information that can be seen as an image on a screen. Determine what choices you have with an ultrasound. An ultrasound will alert you of any possible complications. It is an important step of the pregnancy confirmation process, as it confirms three different aspects of your pregnancy.
Mobile Unit
We offer pregnancy confirmation services at our Mobile Unit! Here is more about our pregnancy services, provided at no cost to you and completely confidential. If for some reason you can't come to us, we can come to you with our mobile unit.
