5 Things to Know About Medical Abortion

When a pregnant individual uses medication to end the pregnancy, this is known as a medical abortion. It differs from a surgical abortion, in which the uterus lining is surgically removed in order to remove the pregnancy tissue. Plan C is another name for a medical abortion.

For medical professionals to keep track of the pregnant person's condition, many doctors would advise medical abortion no later than 10 weeks in an outpatient setting. Later, it may be carried out in a supervised hospital setting.

Ask your doctor about a pregnancy test and ultrasound to determine the fetal age and your alternatives if you are unsure how long it has been since the first day of your last menstruation.

1. Is Medical Abortion the Same as Emergency Contraception?
Emergency contraception is not medical abortion. The implantation of an embryo in the uterine lining, which is the definition of pregnancy, is ended by medical abortion. Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy by delaying or blocking ovulation or, in rare situations, by preventing sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg when used up to five days after sex.

2. How to Obtain a Medical Abortion
Researchers have discovered that a medical abortion can be performed safely and effectively at home thanks to telehealth's expansion during the COVID-19 epidemic. You might also get a prescription for the drugs required for a medical abortion from a doctor, who might ask you to visit their office to take the drugs, depending on the laws in your state and their practices. You will take the medication in the office if your doctor wants to see you there, then come back later to make sure everything went well.

3. Who Can Have One?
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, anyone who is pregnant and is within 70 days of the first day of the last menstrual cycle is qualified for medical abortion (ACOG). Medical abortion is legal and safe for single-twin pregnancies and those above a particular age.

Medical abortions are frequent; they accounted for 54% of all abortions performed in the United States in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

4. How Much Does It Cost?
Your insurance coverage, the stage of your pregnancy, where you get the medication, and other factors will all affect the price of a medical abortion. Planned Parenthood clinics in your area can assist you in estimating your costs; according to the group, the cost of the procedure might reach $750.

The median cost of a medical abortion increased from $465 to $560 over the course of the study, which was conducted from 2017 to 2020 and published in Health Affairs in April 2022.

Speak with your doctor and consider using an abortion fund if you are unable to pay for this medical care (or the trip required).

5. Potential Side Effects and Complications
A medicinal abortion takes a few days to complete, in contrast to a surgical abortion, which is a relatively short process (approximately 10 minutes). Since they have been in use for the past 20 years, the drugs used in medication abortions are regarded as safe.

However, there are a few dangers and a few uncommon side effects to think about. For example, it's possible for the pregnancy to continue, for some pregnancy tissue to remain in your body, for uterine blood clots to form, for you to experience heavy or prolonged bleeding, contract an infection, or for you to discover that you are allergic to one of the drugs used. Fortunately, these side effects are frequently simple to handle.

If any of the following uncommon problems arise, get immediate medical attention: No bleeding within a day of taking the second prescription; very heavy bleeding lasting more than two hours; very heavy clots lasting more than two hours; severe stomach pains; a high temperature lasting longer than a day; any weakness, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea lasting longer than a day.

The capacity to become pregnant later on is unaffected by using medicine to end a pregnancy.