How Does the Abortion Pill Work?
A medication abortion is the use of two different medications (pills) to terminate a pregnancy.
The first medication is Mifepristone. Mifepristone is used to block progesterone, a hormone essential to the healthy development of a pregnancy. When progesterone can no longer reach the pregnancy, the pregnancy cannot continue to grow and develop. In short – Mifepristone first stops the pregnancy from growing.
Something to note: If you're having second thoughts about abortion, yet you've already taken the 1st pill, please reach out to us for assistance.
The second medication is Misoprostol. Misoprostol is used to force uterine contractions to expel the pregnancy from the uterus. Like labor contractions, this medication will tell your uterus that it needs to expel what is inside – in this case the pregnancy. Though misoprostol triggers the contractions, there is no guarantee that all of the pregnancy will be expelled. In short – Misoprostol induces the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy.
If you are considering a medication abortion – it is important to understand these medications and their risks.
Here are some potential side effects of these medications:
Fever
Chills
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Headache
And here are some potential risks with these medications:
Infection
Heavy and prolonged bleeding
Fever
Digestive system discomfort
An ongoing pregnancy (if the medical abortion does not work)
It is important to receive care from a medical professional before, during, and after your abortion. An in-person visit with a medical professional (like our nurses here at Parkridge) can help you confirm and date your pregnancy before making a decision.
The abortion pill is only recommended for use within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, so confirming dates of your pregnancy through ultrasound is important. Call Parkridge to schedule a free and confidential appointment, where we can confirm pregnancy, offer an ultrasound, and you can receive a nurse consultation and/or counseling visit.
There can be a lot of confusion around the abortion pill, or a medication abortion. We commit to providing accurate medical information to help you make an informed decision. Reach out to our clinic if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment.
Parkridge Lubbock Abortion Pill Information — Parkridge
We hope the information included here is helpful, and is received in conjunction with other medical information. This blog post is not intended to replace information directly received from a medical provider.
Through pregnancy testing, ultrasound confirmation and STD testing & treatment, we serve women who are considering the abortion pill as well as other pregnancy options. Parkridge does not provide abortions, but we do provide professional counseling, including post-abortion support. All of our services are always free of charge, confidential and delivered by licensed professionals. An unintended pregnancy need not be faced by a woman in isolation. Please reach out to us and let us know if we can help! Call 806.794.8555 or make an appointment online by clicking here.
