You may be weighing abortion against adoption and parenting, or just trying to understand what each method involves. Abortion intentionally ends a pregnancy through drugs or a surgical procedure.
Acts of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center offers no-cost pregnancy tests and a confidential place to bring your questions. We are not a medical clinic, and we do not perform or refer for abortion. What we can offer is clear information and room to think.
How Abortion Drugs Work
The abortion pill is a two-drug process rather than a single pill. It is FDA-approved through 10 weeks of gestation.
The first drug, mifepristone, interferes with progesterone, a hormone that helps maintain the uterine lining during pregnancy. The second drug, misoprostol, is generally taken 24 to 48 hours later. It causes the uterus to contract, producing abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding as the pregnancy, placenta, and other related tissue are expelled through the vagina.
Cramping and vaginal bleeding are expected during this process. Other possible effects include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Weakness or fatigue
- Fever or chills
Possible complications include heavy or prolonged bleeding, infection, an ongoing pregnancy, or an incomplete abortion requiring additional drugs or a surgical procedure.
Abortion drugs do not treat an ectopic pregnancy, which develops outside the uterus and needs immediate medical attention. A licensed medical provider should review your estimated gestational age, symptoms, medications, allergies, and health history. Be sure to mention an IUD, a bleeding disorder, blood-thinning medication, long-term corticosteroid use, or any history of ectopic pregnancy.
What Happens During a Surgical Abortion?
A surgical abortion is performed in a clinic or hospital. The abortion provider opens the cervix using drugs or instruments and removes the embryo or fetus and related pregnancy tissue using suction, scraping, or both. Local anesthesia, sedation, or another form of pain management may be used. Cramping and vaginal bleeding can occur afterward.
Possible complications include:
- Heavy bleeding
- Infection
- Pregnancy tissue remaining in the uterus
- Injury to the cervix
- Perforation of the uterus
- Scar tissue forming inside the uterus
Recovery can vary from woman to woman.
If You Already Took Mifepristone
If you have taken mifepristone, have not taken misoprostol, and now want to try to continue the pregnancy, contact the Abortion Pill Reversal Network as soon as possible at 877-558-0333 or through AbortionPillReversal.com.
Acts of Hope PRC does not provide abortion pill reversal treatment. We may be able to connect you with a medical provider who can determine whether treatment is appropriate. Results cannot be guaranteed. If you’re unsure, reach out to the APRN anyway.
Abortion Law in Arkansas
Abortion is currently prohibited in Arkansas except when a physician determines it is necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life. The law does not include separate exceptions for rape or incest. Treatment for an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage is not classified as abortion.
A mentor can provide general information and a confidential place to talk through your questions. If the law leaves you unsure what it means for your situation, a licensed medical provider or attorney can explain how it applies.
What About the Emotional Effects?
Emotions after an abortion can be complex and do not fall into one category. Relief can exist alongside sadness, grief, regret, anger, or numbness, and those feelings may surface or change over time.
Research suggests that a woman’s mental and emotional health can be shaped by factors such as previous mental health concerns, pressure from another person, limited support, personal beliefs, and the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. If someone is pressuring or threatening you, tell a medical provider or another trusted professional privately.
You can also contact Acts of Hope PRC to ask about confidential support or available referrals.
Bring Your Questions to Acts of Hope
A mentor can talk with you about abortion, adoption, and parenting, and help you identify questions to ask a licensed medical provider. You do not have to arrive with a decision or explain everything before the conversation begins.
Schedule a free, confidential pregnancy test at Acts of Hope in Blytheville.
Acts of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center does not provide or refer for abortions.
