If so, then here’s the information you need…
Facing an unplanned pregnancy under any circumstance can be stressful, but it can be overwhelming when you add in financial, educational, relationship, and family pressures, it can be overwhelming. Feeling that your only option is abortion is understandable and may seem like a quick fix for a devastating problem. But before you make this choice be sure you have the medically correct information and know all your options—so that you can make an informed and healthy decision. In doing so, your future self will thank you!
The first thing that you need to know is that you are not alone. Many Obria staff members have dealt with the shock of an unplanned pregnancy and gut-wrenching decision about what to do. We have also talked to countless women like you and felt their stories. For this reason, it is our goal to give you the best medical information possible so that you can make an educated decision that is best for you.
Are you feeling desperate and wanting to talk to someone right now? We are here and ready to listen! Download our free app OBRIA DIRECT at Google Play or the Apple Store—and text or chat confidentially with one of our caring nurses today.
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If you are reading this, you most likely have taken an in-home pregnancy test, and it was positive. Your stomach probably sunk as you read the results. And you may now be wondering, “why is this happening to me?” If you are like many of our patients, you also rushed out to get more tests just to make sure!
We can help you make sure! At Obria our clinical pregnancy tests can take the stress out of human error. Our urine tests identify the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Your hCH concentration increases each day during early in pregnancy. Ideally, you will want to make an appointment with us for a pregnancy test 6 weeks from the last day of your last menstrual period (LMP) or approximately 3 weeks after you may have conceived.
Surprisingly, a small number of women whose urine tests will not show positive, even though they are pregnant. If after a negative urine test you still feel you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms, then this may be the case for you. Our nurses can schedule a follow-up appointment for a blood test to confirm the pregnancy.
Once you have had a positive urine or blood pregnancy test, you will want to schedule an ultrasound appointment with us to validate the results and confirm the pregnancy. The ultrasound is a diagnostic tool that will determine if the pregnancy is viable, the fetus’s location, how far along you are, and if there is a heartbeat.
An ultrasound is always recommended for pregnancy and very important to have before an abortion to make sure that you have no other contraindications to your health or pregnancy.
Before any abortion procedure, make sure you get:
- STI testing to treat any infection you may have.
- An ultrasound to confirm how far along you are, verify the location of the fetus, and that there is a heartbeat.
- Your blood type and Rh factor. If you are Rh-negative, you will need a RhoGAM injection to protect future pregnancies.
- The nearest emergency room location and have a 24/7 emergency hotline available so you can call with questions.
Still have questions? We have answers…
“What actually is an Abortion?”
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “a legal induced abortion is defined as an intervention performed by a licensed clinician (e.g., a physician, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, physician assistant) within the limits of state regulations that is intended to terminate a suspected or known ongoing intrauterine pregnancy and that does not result in a live birth.” In other words, an abortion is the ending of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus.
“Is it possible that I could Miscarry?”
An abortion without intervention is known as a miscarriage or the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. The Mayo Clinic has found that about 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number could be as high as 30% to 50% because many miscarriages occur early in pregnancy when a woman doesn’t realize she’s pregnant. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn’t developing normally.
“What is a Medical Abortion?”
There are two types of abortions, medical and surgical. A Medical Abortion can also known as the Abortion Pill: Mifepristone (Mifeprex, RU-486) and Misoprostol (Cytotec). It is important to note that Abortion Pill will terminate a pregnancy and is not Plan B or the morning-after pill. A Medical Abortion is comprised of two separate medications taken on different days. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is needed for a fetus to survive.
Misoprostol causes cramping and contractions of the uterus and expels the pregnancy.
Side Effects of Mifepristone:
Heavy bleeding
Nausea, vomiting
Diarrhea
Headache
Back pain
Weakness or dizziness
Nausea, vomiting
Diarrhea
Cramping, bleeding, and blood clots
On average, bleeding lasts 9-16 days. If the side effects above, other than period like bleeding, last longer than the first 24 hours after taking misoprostol, seek immediate medical attention.
The FDA has approved a Medical Abortion/the Abortion Pill for up to 10 weeks (70 days) of pregnancy. Mifepristone is unsuccessful 8-10% of the time and may result in the need for a medical abortion. For safety reasons, the prescription for the Abortion Pill should never be purchased online or through an underground market. Other health risks need to consider before a Medical Abortion.
The Abortion Pill is not recommended if you have any of the following:
- If it has been more than 70 days since your last menstrual period
- A suspected ectopic pregnancy and/or a tumor that has developed in the uterus (a molar pregnancy)
- An intrauterine device (IUD) in place (It must be removed before taking mifepristone)
- Problems with your adrenal glands (the glands near your kidneys)
- Been treated with certain steroid medications for an extended period of time
- Bleeding problems or if you are taking anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drug products, certain heart, or blood vessel diseases; severe liver, adrenal gland, kidney or lung disease; or an uncontrolled seizure disorder
- Had an allergic reaction to mifepristone, misoprostol, or similar drugs
- Smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day
After taking the Abortion Pill, you may experience bleeding and cramping for two to four weeks. Pregnancy can occur again soon after a medical abortion, so if sexually active, you will want to use protection.
Risks associated with the Abortion Pill include:
- Incomplete abortion – when fetal parts do not fully expelled after taking the abortion pill.
- An allergic reaction to Mifepristone or Misoprostol.
- Heavy period-like bleeding that can last up to 2 weeks after the procedure. However, if you soak 1 pad an hour for 2 hours or pass a clot the size of a golf ball, go to the emergency room immediately.
- Infection – can be indicated by symptoms of severe abdominal pain, fever of 100.4 or higher, vomiting, abdominal swelling, rapid heart rate, increased vaginal discharge with a foul odor, pain, or swelling in the genital area.
“But what if I start taking the Abortion Pill and then regret my decision?”
If you have started taking the Abortion Pill and have feelings of remorse or are questioning your decision, it may not be too late. There is hope! We can provide a possible reversal process if it has been less than 72 hours since you took the first pill. Please visit AbortiobPillReversal.com or call our Abortion Pill Hotline immediately at (877) 588-0333 for help.
“How is a surgical abortion different than a medical abortion?”
After 10 weeks your pregnancy will need to be terminated through a Surgical Abortion. An STD test should be done before a Surgical Abortion to prevent the spread of infection or bacteria during the procedure. According to the American Pregnancy Association there are three types of surgical abortions Aspiration (D&C), Dilation and Evacuation (D&E), and Dilation and Extraction (D&E). Each procedure is dependent upon how far along you are in your pregnancy and is described below:
D&C (Dilation and Curettage) with Mechanical Vacuum Aspiration
https://healthline.com/health/surgical-abortion#abortion-types
UP TO 12 WEEKS:
- You will be given a gown to wear and asked to remove all clothing.
- An intravenous (IV) line maybe started to provide you with fluids before and after the procedure. Medication may be administered through the IV.
- You will be positioned on the exam table in the same position used for a pelvic exam, with your feet on stirrups while lying on your back.
- The provider will use a speculum to view inside your vagina
- Your vagina and cervix will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
- They may apply numbing medication to your cervix
- A narrow flexible tube will be inserted into your uterus. Suction will be used from the other end of the tube to remove all the pregnancy tissue.
D&E (Dilation and Evacuation)
UP TO 24 WEEKS
- You will be given a gown to wear and asked to remove all clothing.
- An intravenous (IV) line may be started to provide you with fluids and medications.
- You will be positioned on the exam table in the same position used for a pelvic exam.
- Your vagina and cervix will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
- You will be given a pain medicine injection in the cervical area (paracervical block) along with a sedative. If the procedure is done in an operating room, you could receive a spinal anesthesia injection or your doctor may use general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious.
- The provider will grasp the cervix with an instrument to hold the uterus in place.
- The provider will dilate the cervical canal with probes of increasing size. An abortion after 12 weeks will need the cervix to be dilated more than required for a D&C. Some cramping is felt during the rest of the procedure.
- A grasping instrument (forceps) will be passed into the uterus to grasp larger pieces of tissue. This is more likely in pregnancies of 16 weeks or more.
- A curved instrument (curette) is used to gently scrape the lining of the uterus and remove tissue.
- A hollow tube (cannula) will be passed into the uterus. The cannula is attached by tubing to a pump that provides a vacuum to remove any remaining tissue in the uterus.
- You may be given medicine to reduce the amount of bleeding from the procedure.
D&E (Dilation and Extraction)
20-24 WEEKS
- This procedure can take up to 3 days.
- A device called a cervical (osmotic) dilator is often inserted in the cervix 24-48 hours before the procedure to help slowly open (dilate) the cervix. Local or oral Misoprostol (Cytotec) may be given to soften the cervix.
- You will be given a gown to wear and asked to remove all clothing.
- An intravenous (IV) line may be started to provide you with fluids before and after the procedure. Medication may be administered through the IV.
- You will be positioned on the exam table in the same position used for a pelvic exam, with your feet on stirrups while lying on your back.
- Prior to the procedure, the provider will insert a medication into the amniotic sac to cause fetal death. Fetal death is verified by ultrasound.
- A numbing agent will be applied to the cervix.
- Strong pain medications and sedatives are encouraged during this procedure, in addition to local anesthesia on the cervix. General anesthesia is not recommended for any abortion procedure.
- After the cervix is opened, the provider removes the fetal legs with forceps and delivers the baby feet first until presentation of the head.
- A suction catheter is inserted into the base of the skull to cause it to collapse so that the fetus can be removed.
- The placenta is removed, and the uterus is suctioned to remove any remaining tissue.
“What are the risk factors of a Surgical Abortion?”
As with any surgery, there are also risk factors associated with Surgical Abortion. These risks are higher if the abortion is done in the second trimester, particularly after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Risks associated with Surgical Abortions include:
- Injury to the uterine lining or cervix.
- A hole in the wall of the uterus (uterine perforation). This is rare. This most commonly happens during cervical dilation. In the second trimester, bleeding may be more likely, and a repair may be needed.
- Bacteria can enter the uterus during the procedure and cause an infection. This is more likely if an untreated infection, such as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), is present before the procedure.
- Moderate to severe bleeding (hemorrhage), which is sometimes caused by injury to the uterine lining or cervix.
- Uterine rupture. In rare cases, a uterine incision scar tears open when a medicine is used to induce contractions.
- Tissue remaining in the uterus (retained products of conception) which can cause cramping belly pain and bleeding recur within a week of the procedure.
- Blood clots. If the uterus doesn’t contract to pass all the tissue, the cervical opening can become blocked. This prevents blood from leaving the uterus. The uterus becomes enlarged and tender, often with belly pain, cramping, and nausea.
“Will there be risks to future Pregnancies if you have an Abortion?”
Complications associated with an abortion, or having multiple abortions, may make it difficult to have children in the future. These risks increase with the age of the pregnancy.
- Vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy
- Preterm birth
- Low birth weight
- Placenta problems, such as retained placenta
- An incompetent cervix poses risks for future pregnancies — particularly during the second trimester — including premature birth, pregnancy loss.
- A weakened or damaged cervix can lead to the cervix’s potential to open prematurely (incompetent cervix) in a subsequent pregnancy. It is more likely to affect women who have had multiple surgical abortions.
- Post-Abortion Stress can be manifested by guilt, anger, depression, prolonged grief, substance abuse, and trauma.
- Possible spiritual effects- Depending on your beliefs and culture regarding abortion, having an abortion may affect more than just your body or mind. Having a trusted advisor, friend, or mentor to talk to regarding your spiritual health can help this experience.
“How long will it take me to Physically Recover from an Abortion?”
It is important to drink plenty of water after an abortion, at least 8 glasses a day.
Most women can return to normal activities in 1 to 2 days, but you will need to avoid strenuous exercise for about 1 week. You will also want to be sure to take your vitamins and eat regular meals with enough protein and iron. Make sure that you take the full course of antibiotics, as prescribed by your provider.
Avoid swimming and baths for 2 weeks and don’t lift anything over 15 pounds. Additionally, you will need to avoid sex, the use of tampons and douching for at least 1 week or until the bleeding stops completely. Be sure that you attend your 2 weeks follow-up appointment if one is given to you. This ensures that your cervix is closed, the abortion was complete, and there is no infection.
So, what are my other Options?
If you are pregnant, there are three options: Abortion, Parenting, and Adoption. Each will uniquely affect and change you. We can help you explore all these options and give you the support and resources you need to make an informed decision. Only you hold the key to what’s going on in your life–but it is important to gather this accurate information to be assured that you are making the best decision for you. Your future emotional well-being depends on you working through the shock of being pregnant and achieving acceptance of your current situation. This is a loss of self…gift yourself time so that you can think rationally. We are waiting to help, educate, and guide you through the process.
Don’t hesitate, make your appointment today at our new conveniently located Santa Ana clinic. We promise you won’t be sorry. Call 800-771-5089 or visit Obria.org.
Download our free telehealth app Obria Direct at Google Play or the Apple Store now!
https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/calculating-conception-due-date/
https://healthline.com/health/pregnancy/early-symptoms-timeline
https://cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Data_Stats/Abortion.htm
https://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/symptoms-causes/syc-2035429
https://accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/019268s041lbl.pdf
https://kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-availability-and-use-of-medication-abortion/
https://healthline.com/health/abortion-pill#risks-and-complication
https://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/surgical-abortions/
https://healthline.com/health/surgical-abortion#abortion-types
http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/915
https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/