The Abortion Pill goes by many different names. Even though the terms for the Abortion Pill may vary, the medication is the same. The Abortion Pill is not the same thing as different emergency contraception methods (i.e. Morning After Pill, Plan B, ella). A Medical Abortion is a procedure that uses medication to terminate a confirmed pregnancy.

Before a medication abortion, it is important that you meet with your doctor to discuss a plan for terminating your pregnancy. You should receive a physical examination to confirm whether you will receive RU-486, and you should receive an ultrasound to confirm that you are pregnant and within the gestational age that will qualify you to receive a prescription for RU-486. Unfortunately, there are women who have been given the pill when there was not even a viable pregnancy.

First you will be prescribed a drug that will cause the death of your fetus or embryo and ending your pregnancy.

Note: Some women may change their mind and decide that they no longer want to continue with the medication abortion after this point. Contact us and we can connect you with a network of caring medical professionals who might be able to reverse the effects of this medication in certain cases.

Second, you will be prescribed with another drug that will cause your body to expel the fetus or embryo. This portion of the medical abortion does not take place in the doctor’s office. Some women experience dizziness, nausea, weakness, headache, fever/chills, vomiting or diarrhea.

The final step takes place roughly seven to fourteen days after the first prescription drug has been taken. It is important that you follow-up with your doctor to ensure that all of the contents of your uterus have been expelled. If anything remains in the uterus a follow-up surgical abortion may be required. This condition can be potentially serious so it is very important that you attend a follow-up appointment.

Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, it is possible that this procedure can be done without dilation or anesthesia. If you are further along in your first trimester the abortion provider may determine that a local anesthesia to numb the cervix is necessary.

After the cervix has been numbed it must be stretched open. Next, the abortion provider inserts a dilator through the vagina and into the cervix. Once a clear path has been established, the abortion provider continues by inserting progressively larger dilators into the cervix.

Once the cervix has been stretched wide enough, the abortion provider uses a suction to empty out the contents of the uterus. After the fetus or embryo has been removed along with the pregnancy, the abortion provider will inspect the cervix and other internal organs.

To ensure that the procedure has been completed, some providers might use a sharp curettage that will be followed by a final suction to ensure that nothing is left inside of the uterus.

Most providers will take you to a recovery room to recuperate. Recovery time after this procedure can vary from person to person. Any physical complications as a result of this procedure can vary, manifesting immediately or sometime later.

Pre-Procedure

The abortion provider will begin by opening up the cervix. At this point in the pregnancy, the cervix will need to be opened wider than it would for a first trimester abortion procedure. To open up the cervix, the abortion provider will use dilators. For a pregnancy that is early in the second trimester, dilation might take several hours or potentially even overnight. For pregnancies further along in the second trimester, it might take one to two days. There are different methods used to dilate the cervix and they vary depending on different factors.

D&E Procedure

The abortion provider begins by removing the dilators. Next, they might use an ultrasound to locate the fetus and other pregnancy matter. Early on in the second trimester, it is possible that suction aspiration may be adequate to remove the pregnancy without any use of forceps. This would be similar to the vacuum aspiration abortion procedure.

If the abortion procedure takes place after sixteen weeks gestation, forceps are generally needed to complete the procedure. The abortion provider will insert the forceps into the uterus, open them, and begin to pull the fetus apart then out using a rotating motion. After the contents of the uterus have been removed, the provider should check to make sure that nothing has internally has been punctured and the all pregnancy matter has been removed.

Fetal Demise

If the fetus has reached an age where they could live independently of the mother, an abortion provider might choose to inject them with chemicals. Different drugs can be used for this procedure. Depending on the drug that is used, it can either be injected into the amniotic sac or into the fetus’s heart or umbilical cord. The abortion provider might choose to use an ultrasound to direct the needle as it is being inserted. Once the fetus has died, the provider might deem it necessary to perform a D&E procedure to ensure that nothing is left inside of the uterus.

Intact D&E

The more times the forceps pass into the uterus there becomes higher potential for harm. In cases where the cervix has been stretched open wide enough, the fetus may be able to removed from the uterus intact. Typically, the abortion provider will insert dilators (usually laminaria) approximately two days in advance. In many cases the skull of the fetus is too big to pass through the cervical canal so it has to be crushed before removal. The abortion provider would typically accomplish this by using forceps or making an opening at the base of the skull, allowing the contents to be suctioned out. If any complications arise, the abortion provider might pierce the skull with a sharp medical instrument that will allow them to collapse it using either forceps or suction. Once this has been done, the abortion provider typically removes the fetus from the uterus otherwise intact.

Most women who choose a laAbortiote-term abortion do so because of a fetal abnormality diagnosis. If this is the case, you have help, hope, and you have options. Call us at (870) 210-5353 and one of our trained peer consultants can help walk you through the different options you are facing.

If you are considering abortion, you are not alone in feeling that way. There are many different options that are available to you that do not include an abortion. As with any other medical procedures, it is important that you understand the details of the procedure, possible risks, side effects, complications, or even other alternatives. If you are ready to talk to someone about your situation, call us and will can provide you with confidential help.