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What is an Abortion?

An abortion is performed by taking a series of pills or through a surgical procedure which will end a pregnancy by stopping the growth of the fetus and removing it from a woman's body.

MEDICAL ABORTIONS

The Abortion Pill

Mifeprex, Mifepristone, RU-486

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Up to 10 weeks LMP

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Day 1: Swallow mifepristone, causing death of the embryo

Day 2 or 3: Take misoprostol, cramping expels baby

Day 7 to 14: Follow up with provider to check if abortion is complete

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  • Seeing embryonic parts expelled

  • Some fail to abort

  • 1% of women need D&C to stop hemorrhaging

  • Undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy

  • Possible life-threatening infection

  • Birth defects possible in pregnancies that continue

Methotrexate

Chemotherapy

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Up to 9 weeks LMP

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Taken by mouth or injection, causing death of the embryo

3-7 days later: misoprostol inserted vaginally, cramping expels baby

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  • Higher failure rate than abortion pill

  • Hemorrhage

  • Birth defects possible in pregnancies that continue

  • Mouth ulcers

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Misoporostol

Stomach Ulcer Medicine

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Up to 9 weeks LMP

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Repeated doses inserted vaginally, or placed beneath the tongue

Cramping expels baby

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  • Much higher failure rate than the abortion pill

  • Hemorrhage

  • Birth defects possible in pregnancies that continue

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What

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When

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How

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Side Effects

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Risks

Abdominal pain​            Severe cramping             Nausea               Vomiting                  Diarrhea                     Dizziness

                                                                Headaches          Fevers and chills

SURGICAL ABORTIONS

Dilation and evacuation

RISKS

  • ​Incomplete abortion w/ retained tissue

  • Heavy bleeding

  • Reactions to anesthesia

  • Infection

  • Organ damage

  • Risk of complication & death increases with duration of pregnancy

13 WEEKS lmp AND UP

  • Cervix softened using laminaria and/or vaginal medication for 2 days before procedure

  • Local anesthetic and sedation given, or general anesthesia, if available

  • Cervix further stretched open w/ metal dilating rods

  • Forceps used to pull fetal parts out through the cervix

  • Account for all the parts of the baby: skull, spine, ribcage, four limbs

  • A curette or suction is used to remove any remaining tissue or blood clots

HELP IS STILL HERE

Aspiration

RISKS

  • ​Serious physical complications are infrequent

  • Bleeding

  • Infection

  • Incomplete abortion

  • Allergic reaction to meds

  • Organ damage

up TO 13 WEEKS LMP

  • Cervix sometimes softened using laminaria and/or vaginal medication the night before.

  • Local anesthetic injected in cervix

  • Cervix stretched open using metal dilating rods

  • Plastic tube inserted in the uterus and connected to an electric manual vacuum device that pulls the baby's body apart and out

  • A curette may also be used to scrape any remaining fetal parts out of the uterus

  • Removed tissue examined to verify completeness

WE CAN HELP

D&E

after viability

RISKS

  • ​Increased risk to the life and health of the mother

  • Highest risk of death with a rate of about 1 per 11,000

  • Anesthesia complications

  • Heavy bleeding

  • Embolism

  • Infection

  • Organ damage

24 weeks lmp and up

  • Takes 2-3 days

  • Lethal injections may be given to stop the baby's heart

  • Cervix softened and dilated for 3 days prior using laminaria and vaginal medication

  • General anesthesia may be used, if available, or IV sedation and local anesthesic

  • Surgical instruments used to grasp and pull fetal parts out through the opened cervix

  • An alternative procedure, "intact D&E," attempts to remove the baby in one piece, reducing risk to the mother

  • Fetal skull usually needs to be crushed before removal

IT'S STILL NOT TOO LATE FOR HELP
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