If you are considering mail-order abortion (medical abortion), you should consider the risks, safety precautions, and your access to emergency care before proceeding.
Here Are Three Things to Know:
#1. There Are Risks.
As with any medical procedure, you should fully understand the risks before moving forward.
Here are the risks Mayo Clinic outlines:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Keep in mind, your personal health history plays a major role in the safety of any procedure.
Since the abortion pill triggers contractions and vaginal bleeding to expel the pregnancy tissue, if you have any bleeding disorders or take a blood thinner, this may not be a safe option for you.
Also, abortion is an emotional decision, and every woman will respond differently.
While there is debate about abortion and mental health, experts agree at least some women do have negative mental health impacts from abortion. One of the risk factors is having a history of mental health issues.
#2. Safety Precautions Protect Your Health.
There are certain safety precautions prior to abortion that you shouldn’t bypass, such as getting an ultrasound and STD testing. An ultrasound will determine how far along you are if your pregnancy is viable, and whether or not your pregnancy is ectopic.
If your pregnancy is ectopic, this is a life-threatening condition requiring treatment. This can only be identified with an ultrasound. A mail-order abortion will not treat ectopic pregnancy.
STD testing can prevent the further spread of the infection into your uterus during an abortion. This is a step you won’t want to miss to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease and lasting reproductive damage.
#3 Access to Emergency Care Is Critical.
Unlike a surgical abortion, mail-order abortion is performed at home.
If you see any concerning issues such as heavy bleeding (soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours), severe abdominal or back pain, fever lasting more than 24 hours, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge, you need to seek medical care.
If you can’t make a follow-up appointment or don’t have access to emergency care, mail-order abortion isn’t a safe option for you.
Schedule an Appointment at Alpha Omega Center
Whether you’re considering abortion or think you might be pregnant, we have services available for free to help you. We offer no-cost STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, and ultrasounds to ensure you have all the information you need to make an empowered choice.
Schedule conveniently online today!
