3 Things To Know About A Medical Abortion
If you have just found out that you are pregnant, and you are only a few weeks along, and you know that you don't want to maintain your pregnancy, you have a few options. When you are at the start of your pregnancy, you can have a medical abortion. A medical abortion is an abortion that involves the use of a pill to end the pregnancy.
The Medical Abortion Is Not A Surgical Process
A medical abortion is not a surgical process at all. A medical abortion actually is not an in-patient procedure at all. With a medical abortion, a doctor prescribes the pills, and you can them at home. A medical abortion, despite its formal name, is actually a very private process.
A Medical Abortion Involves the Use of Two Pills
You have to take two different pills for a medical abortion, and each bill actually contains different medication. The first pill, formally known as RU-486, contains mifepristone, starts the process of ending your pregnancy. The mifepristone is designed to stop the release of the progesterone hormone, which is essential for the growth of your pregnancy. By stopping the release of progesterone in your body, your pregnancy stops growing. This is how your pregnancy is ended by the pill.
The second pill contains misoprostol. You take this pill one to two days after the first pill. Misoprostol helps along the natural process of expelling the pregnancy from your body. Once the fetus inside of you stops growing, your body's natural response is to push it out. The misoprostol helps this process along, helping your uterus expel the fetus without too much bleeding.
A Medical Abortion Is Fast
A medical abortion takes place over the course of two days. You can take the medication on your own time frame, at home. This allows you to take the medication when you have time to allow your body to end the pregnancy.
However, the side effects of a medical abortion can last for a while. You may experience light to moderate bleeding continually in the weeks following your medical abortion. This is a common side effect, although any heavy or profuse bleeding should be addressed by your doctor.
A medical abortion is a safe way to naturally end a pregnancy that has just begun on your own terms at home once you have the prescription from your doctor filled. For more information and to figure out if a medical abortion is the right path for you and your body, talk with a medical office like A Center For Reproductive Services-North Park Medical Group.
