What to Know If You’re Considering an Abortion

If you’re considering an abortion after learning you are unexpectedly pregnant, understanding what abortion involves and the potential risks is an important part of protecting your health.

There are also key medical details about your pregnancy to understand before deciding how you want to move forward.

Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic can help you gather accurate information about abortion in a confidential and non-judgmental environment. We also provide no-cost limited ultrasounds to help you make an educated decision about your health and future.

Why an Ultrasound Matters

Many women believe a pregnancy test alone is enough to confirm a pregnancy. While it does confirm the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG, it cannot tell you the location of the pregnancy, the gestational age, or whether the pregnancy appears to be developing. This information is vital to understanding what next steps you may be eligible for.

In around 2% of pregnancies, the egg implants outside the uterus, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy. This condition cannot be treated with the abortion pill and requires immediate medical attention.

An ultrasound can determine how far along you are, which is important because the abortion pill is only FDA-approved through ten weeks of gestation. It can also tell you whether you may have already miscarried, which may require medical follow-up.

There Are Risks Involved

There are two primary abortion methods, and each comes with its own side effects and potential risks. A medical abortion consists of taking two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol.

Taking these drugs will cause cramping and bleeding, with some women describing the pain as more severe than they expected. There are also risks to be aware of, including an incomplete abortion, infection, and heavy and prolonged bleeding.

A surgical abortion is an invasive procedure that is generally done later in pregnancy. It is performed in a medical setting and involves using surgical instruments to dilate the cervix and remove the pregnancy from the uterus.

Side effects include cramping and bleeding. Potential risks include uterine perforation, cervical damage, infection, and scar tissue formation inside the uterus, also known as Asherman’s syndrome.

Learn About All Your Options at Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic

You deserve time to understand your options and the considerations and risks that come with them. Before making any pregnancy decision, an ultrasound is the first step, so you can understand how your pregnancy is developing.

Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic provides information about all your options, including abortion, parenting, and adoption. We will never pressure you into making a decision; our goal is to ensure you have the information you need to make a confident decision about your next step.

Get in touch and schedule your appointment at our clinic today.

Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic does not provide or refer for abortions.

All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.