Understanding Abortion Pills: What to Know

The abortion pill ends a pregnancy with powerful drugs. This method carries risks and side effects you should know before deciding. If you’re contemplating abortion for your unexpected pregnancy, be sure you know everything you can about this option.

Life Line will help you understand this option and make a confident, fact-based decision. Your situation matters to us.

Continue reading to learn essential facts about the abortion pill.

FDA Approval is Limited to 10 Weeks

The FDA has only approved abortion drugs through 10 weeks gestation. This means that taking them past this timeframe isn’t recommended; the further along you are, the less effective the drugs can be, and the more risks that can develop.

Receiving an ultrasound is crucial to learning your gestational age (how far along you are) and determining your options). This scan will also tell you whether your pregnancy is progressing and where it is located.

Abortion Drugs Have Side Effects

The abortion pill consists of two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, an essential hormone for the pregnancy’s growth and development. Without it, the pregnancy detaches from the uterine lining and ends.

Misoprostol causes uterine contractions, which expel the pregnancy from the body. As these drugs work to terminate and expel the pregnancy and related tissue, abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding will occur.

However, other side effects can occur from this abortion method, including:

Upset stomach
Vomiting
Fever
Chills
Diarrhea
Headache

The Abortion Pill Is Associated With Health Risks

Taking abortion drugs is associated with specific health risks you should consider as you make an informed decision. These risks include:

Digestive symptoms (i.e., upset stomach)
Fever
Infection
Heavy, prolonged bleeding
Incomplete abortion (the body doesn’t release all the pregnancy tissue, which might require surgical treatment)

These risks can impact your health, so consulting your healthcare provider is vital. Your provider can review your medical history, discuss these risks and side effects, and determine whether you have certain conditions that can mean the abortion pill isn’t an option.

For example, taking abortion drugs is not an option if you take a blood thinner or certain steroid medicines, have an allergy to the drugs, or have a suspected ectopic pregnancy, among other conditions.

The decision-making process can feel overwhelming, so Life Line can clear up any confusion as you weigh options for your unexpected pregnancy. We’re here for you.