Abortion providers tell you the procedures are easy and safe, but what do you know about them? The two main types of abortion are medication (medical) and surgical. Each has side effects and potential risks.
Get accurate information before scheduling your appointment for an abortion.
Pre-Abortion Evaluation
There are three essential questions to answer before an abortion. At Ridgeway Women’s Clinic, our medical staff can provide the answers.
Question #1 How Do I Know If I’m Pregnant?
The Mayo Clinic suggests as many as 1 in 4 known pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage. The number could be higher because many miscarriages occur before a woman even knows she’s pregnant.
Because it takes your body time to clear out hormones, you can still get a positive result on a pregnancy test and no longer be pregnant. Taking a pregnancy test is not enough information. You need an ultrasound exam, which we provide free of charge.
Question #2 How Far Along Am I?
The number of days you’ve been pregnant determines the type of abortion procedure you’ll have. For instance, the FDA approves medication abortions for pregnancies that are ten weeks (70 days) from the first day of your last menstrual period.
Do you keep close tabs on when your periods begin and finish? Is your monthly cycle regular or irregular? Your free ultrasound at Ridgeway determines a more accurate date of the gestational age of your pregnancy.
Question #3 Do I Have An STI?
Having any type of abortion (including the abortion pill) with an untreated STI jeopardizes a woman’s health by increasing her risk of developing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
PID leads to reproductive health problems in the future. If you have a positive pregnancy test, we will provide free STI testing and treatment at no charge.
Types of Abortion
As you can see, before you look at the abortion option, you need more information about your pregnancy. If you’ve miscarried, there’s no need to schedule a visit.
Medical Abortion
The abortion pill is a medication abortion because you take two drugs to terminate your pregnancy. The first drug deprives the uterus of absorbing progesterone, a necessary hormone for pregnancy growth.
The second drug causes bleeding and contractions to expel the pregnancy out of your body. Side effects include bleeding, cramping, diarrhea, a headache, and fever.
Potential risks of the abortion pill method include an incomplete abortion, infection, and hemorrhaging.
Surgical Abortion
The length of your pregnancy determines the surgical abortion procedure. Vacuum aspiration, a method used for earlier pregnancies, uses suction to remove the pregnancy.
Dilation and curettage (D & C) and dilation and evacuation (D & E) are methods used in later pregnancies. The cervix is dilated (opened) with either instruments or medications.
Once again, vacuum suction removes the pregnancy, but the abortion provider also uses forceps and sharp scraping tools inside the uterus.
Potential risks of surgical abortion include infection, perforation of the uterus, damage to the cervix, and scar tissue on the uterine wall.
Your Next Step
Contact Ridgeway Women’s Clinic to set up free pregnancy testing and an ultrasound. It’s the only way to get accurate information. If your pregnancy test is positive, an ultrasound can be done the same day.
We’ll talk about the different abortion procedures and your other options while you’re here. Our compassionate and caring staff will help you navigate this difficult time. You are not alone.
