Although the at-home abortion pill can seem quick and easy, you deserve to be informed of what this option can mean for your reproductive and sexual health.
While it is private, this option does skip some important health screenings.
How the Abortion Pill Works
The abortion pill can also be called a medication or chemical abortion. This procedure utilizes two different drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. The purpose of the first medication, mifepristone, is to end the pregnancy by blocking the essential pregnancy hormone, progesterone.
After the pregnancy has been terminated, misoprostol is taken to force the uterus to contract. Cramps and vaginal bleeding are common side effects of this medication as it works to expel the fetus and pregnancy tissues.
Ordering a Mail-Order Abortion Skips Important Health Screenings
When using an abortion pill medication described after a telehealth appointment, you are skipping the important screenings that in-person healthcare providers can offer. These include lab-quality pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.
These screenings first confirm the pregnancy and then the age (which can affect your eligibility). Additionally, an ultrasound is essential because it identifies the location of the pregnancy. The abortion pill does not impact pregnancies that are located outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancies).
In order to get the care you need, it’s helpful to confirm that the pregnancy is viable and that it is non-ectopic.
The Abortion Pill Does Not Protect You from STIs
The majority of STI carriers are asymptomatic, but an untreated STI is at risk of developing as well as infecting your partner. It is important to know if you have an STI, especially if you’re pregnant because this can cause risk to you.
Having an STI can make you ineligible for the abortion pill because if you have an untreated STI and have an abortion, this significantly increases your risk of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
Next Steps
At our center, we offer no-cost ultrasounds as well as pre-abortion consultations where you can learn more about the pregnancy process and learn about available resources. While we do not test for STIs at our center, we do provide sexual health information and can refer for testing if needed.
We are here to help and support you, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!