Every drug or medical procedure has specific side effects and potential risks. The abortion pill isn’t an exception. Risks like an incomplete abortion, heavy bleeding, and infection are possible.
Since you undergo this abortion method in your home, it’s essential to recognize the signs of trouble so you can receive the emergency care you need.
How Does the Abortion Pill Work?
A woman takes two drugs in the abortion pill regimen: mifepristone and misoprostol.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone from reaching the pregnancy. Progesterone is needed to sustain a pregnancy, and without it, your pregnancy will end.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes bleeding and contractions to expel the pregnancy through your vagina. Some women report severe bleeding and pain.
What Are the Risks of Abortion Drugs?
It’s critical to know that taking the abortion pill drugs isn’t as simple as taking Tylenol. These powerful drugs can cause serious physical and mental health issues.
The FDA highly regulates mifepristone. Only certified providers can prescribe the drug, which is why they recommend not purchasing it online.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the following are potential risks when taking the abortion pill drugs:
- An incomplete abortion (which means the pregnancy ends, but the body doesn’t release all of the pregnancy tissue).
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work. (The FDA approves the use of the drugs through 10 weeks of pregnancy only. The farther along you are, the less effective the drugs are.)
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding.
- Infection.
- Fever.
- Digestive symptoms like an upset stomach.
How Will I Know If I Need Emergency Care?
The Mayo Clinic advises that you see a healthcare professional or seek emergency care if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Heavy bleeding – soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours in a row.
- Bad pain in the stomach area or pelvis.
- Chills or body aches.
- Fast heart rate.
- Fever that lasts more than four hours or that starts in the days after you take misoprostol.
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
How Can Coweta Pregnancy Services Help Me?
If you’ve discovered you are unexpectedly pregnant and you’re considering taking the abortion pill, you must know how far along you are in your pregnancy. Currently, Georgia bans most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around 5 or 6 weeks.
Come to Coweta Pregnancy Services for free pregnancy testing. A nurse, sonographer, or trained layperson administers the test so you can be confident the results are accurate. We offer a free limited obstetric ultrasound if you get a positive result.
You can schedule a free, confidential appointment online or call (770) 251-7158. Although we do not perform or refer for abortions, we can give you factual, medically based information about all procedures, side effects, and risks. We’re here for you.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.