If you’re considering your pregnancy options, you may have come across information about medical abortion. Before making a decision, it’s important to understand how the abortion drugs work, what to expect, and what a pregnancy test alone cannot tell you about your pregnancy.
Pregnancy Choices is a place to learn more about your pregnancy before making a decision. We offer no-cost, confidential pregnancy testing, and if your test is positive, you may be able to qualify for an ultrasound.
You’ll also have the opportunity to meet with a certified life coach who provides a confidential space to ask questions, think through your needs, and explore your next steps with evidence-based information.
Connect with us to book an appointment.
Fact #1: A Positive Pregnancy Test Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
A pregnancy test confirms the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG, but it cannot determine how far along you are, whether the pregnancy is progressing, or whether the pregnancy appears to be located in the uterus.
Knowing how far along you are can affect the options available to you. Determining whether the pregnancy is progressing can help identify whether additional medical evaluation is needed. Identifying whether the pregnancy appears to be located in the uterus is especially important because a pregnancy developing outside the uterus can become a life-threatening medical emergency if left untreated.
An ultrasound* can provide additional information about each of these questions, helping you better understand your pregnancy before making a decision.
Fact #2: Medical Abortion Is More Than One Drug
Medical abortion is an FDA-approved two-step process that involves two different drugs. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks progesterone, a hormone needed to support the pregnancy. The second drug, misoprostol, is taken later to cause the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding and cramping are an expected part of this process.
Fact #3: Medical Abortion May Require Follow-Up Care
After taking the abortion drugs, follow-up medical care may still be necessary.
In some cases, the pregnancy may not pass completely, requiring additional drugs, antibiotics, or a surgical procedure. If you experience severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, or foul-smelling discharge after taking the abortion drugs, seek medical evaluation promptly.
Start with Pregnancy Choices
This article can explain how medical abortion works, but it can’t tell you what is happening in your pregnancy or what decision is right for you. The next step is understanding the status of your pregnancy, not just the general facts.
At Pregnancy Choices, you’ll find a confidential place to ask questions, receive evidence-based information, and meet with a certified life coach who will help you think through your circumstances, clarify what matters most to you, and consider your next steps alongside you.
Schedule your no-cost appointment today.
Pregnancy Choices does not provide or refer for abortions.
*Pregnancy Choices offers limited obstetric ultrasounds to confirm intrauterine pregnancy, estimate gestational age, and check for fetal cardiac activity.