What is the abortion pill?
How does the abortion pill work?
Youre certainly not alone in asking yourself these questions.
Muhammad Saiful Aswandee Narudin / EyeEm/Getty Images
Heres everything you should know about the abortion pill to keep you safe and informed.
What Is the Abortion Pill?
But a medication abortion actually involves two separate medicines.
The second is misoprostol, which helps your uterus expel the pregnancy.
How Does It Work?
Since progesterone cant do its job to continue the pregnancy, essentially, the pregnancy stops growing.
In some states, this is required by law.
To find out the rules in your state, check out this list from theGuttmacher Institute.
To ensure its done safely, we add misoprostol so the risks of heavy bleeding and infection are reduced.
If youre wondering how this all differs from the morning-after pill, theyre two very different things.
If youve already ovulated, emergency contraception cant do anything to stop you from getting pregnant.
This is why medication abortion is only recommended in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
After that, you’re able to have a surgical abortion to end a pregnancy.
Depending on your relationship with your primary care physician, you may also call them for guidance.
But more on that later.
The cost of a medication abortion varies.
Different clinics may have funds to help you out, Dr. Torres explains.
And sometimes insurance does cover it.
There are also cheaper or donation-based options available through telemedicine services that provide medication abortions.
Can You Buy the Abortion Pill Online?
The thing about the internet is if you want something, you canprobablyfind it.
But theFDAsays its not a good idea to buy the abortion pill onlineand Dr. Torres agrees.
You could do yourself a lot of harm by not having a proper evaluation.
A medical professional is the only one who can determine whether the abortion pill is right for you.
The conversation about these telemedicine services isnt exactly straightforward.
Some providers have started considering them as viable options for those who dont have access to clinics.
And its just that: an option.
Dr. Conti still emphasizes that the ideal scenario is seeing a provider IRL.
I would prefer to help walk people through these situations in their lives.
you’re able to read complicated reality of buying abortion pills online here.
you’re able to read to physically and emotionally prepare for your abortion here.
Is It Safe?
So is abortion in general.
Per those numbers, giving birth is about 27 times more fatal than abortion.
What Are the Side Effects?
Beyond the bleeding and cramping, you may also experiencenausea.
We provide medications to help control cramping, like ibuprofen, Motrin, or Advil, Dr. Weber says.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner may also offer a treatment like phenergan or zofran to deal with nausea.
Lastly, Dr. Torres says Netflix or some other form of entertainment can be supremely helpful.
What Happens During a Medication Abortion?
From start to finish, the abortion should take around two days to be complete.
Its good to rest while all this is happening, if possible.
And after the abortion, you may still experiencebleedingfor up to four weeks.
How Do I Know If the Abortion Pill Worked?
Usually, a medication abortion works completely.
If not, you may need follow-up care ASAP.
What Happens Next?
Youll have a follow-up with your doctor to confirm everything went as planned.
Now it’s possible for you to follow up over the phone and take a pregnancy test at home.
Does It Impact Your Period?
A medication abortion will impact your period.
You period should return four to eight weeks after the medication abortion, according toPlanned Parenthood.
Your first period after an abortion may be heavier or lighter than usual.
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