Abortion is a serious medical procedure and can have a significant impact on your future health and well-being.
At Lilli Women’s Center, we talk to you about abortion because we believe that every woman deserves to have the information she needs to make an informed, empowered decision.
Read on to learn the essentials you need to know before seeking an abortion. Or, if you want to talk to someone in person about abortion and your other pregnancy options, contact Lilli Women’s Center today to schedule a free, confidential appointment.
What Happens During an Abortion?
There are two different types of abortion: medical and surgical.
Medical Abortion
Also known as “the abortion pill,” medical abortion uses a series of drugs to end a viable pregnancy. The first drug used is called mifepristone, and it causes the pregnancy to stop growing and detach from your uterus.
The second drug, misoprostol, is then used to force your uterus to contract, expelling the pregnancy from your body through your vagina.
According to the FDA, medical abortion is only approved in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. If you take the abortion drugs and your pregnancy is further than 10 weeks gestation, you’re at risk for potentially serious complications, including an incomplete abortion.
There are other known risks of medical abortion, which include:
- Fever
- Infection
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- An ongoing pregnancy (if the abortion pill didn’t work)
- Incomplete abortion (which may need to be followed by a surgical abortion)
Surgical Abortion
As the name suggests, surgical abortion is a medically invasive procedure that is done in a clinic.
During a surgical abortion, your cervix is dilated, and surgical tools and a suction device are inserted into your uterus to remove the pregnancy.
Surgical abortion also has well-documented risks and complications for you to be aware of, including:
- Perforation of the uterus (when a surgical tool makes a hole in the uterus)
- Damage to the cervix
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
- Infection
Getting the Help You Need
Dealing with an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming and scary, but taking the time to get all the facts you need and talking to someone about your pregnancy is valuable in making sure you make the best decision.
The team at Lilli Women’s Center is here to help you. We can provide everything from nurse-administered pregnancy tests to ultrasound scans that will give you crucial details about your pregnancy, all at no cost to you.
Our trained staff will also answer all your questions about your pregnancy and discuss with you what options are available.
It’s your health and future, so you deserve to have all the facts you need to make the best decision.
Contact us today to schedule your free and confidential appointment.
