A chemical abortion is another name for a medical or medication abortion. You may have also heard it called the abortion pill method. It uses powerful drugs to terminate a pregnancy. This type of abortion typically takes a couple of days to complete and can include heavy bleeding and painful cramping.
What Is the Process of a Chemical Abortion?
A chemical or medical abortion uses two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone from reaching the uterus. All pregnancies need progesterone to develop and grow. Without it, a pregnancy cannot survive.
The FDA highly regulates mifepristone and only approves its use through 10 weeks of pregnancy. Only certified prescribers can distribute the drug, so the FDA encourages people not to buy it randomly online.
Misoprostol, the second drug, causes bleeding and contractions to expel the pregnancy and tissue from the body through the vagina.
Your Body is Unique
Every woman’s body experiences periods, pregnancy, and an abortion differently. Some women feel a great deal of pain during their monthly periods, while others have little to no cramping at all. Women bleed differently during their periods, too. Some may bleed continuously for several days, while other women bleed only for a day or two.
Women also experience abortion differently. How far along your pregnancy is may determine the amount of bleeding and pain you feel. One study found that women were unprepared for the intensity of pain they felt during a medical abortion.
It’s also possible to experience heavy and prolonged bleeding and possibly passing larger blood clots. Since you complete a chemical abortion at home, knowing how much bleeding and
cramping to expect is vital.
Other side effects to be aware of are diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and a fever.
What Else Should I Know About a Chemical Abortion?
You are encouraged to contact your healthcare provider if any of the following occur:
- No bleeding 24 hours after taking misoprostol.
- Severe bleeding – soaking more than two thick pads within an hour.
- Signs of an infection (fever that lasts more than 24 hours and foul-smelling vaginal discharge).
- Severe abdominal or back pain.
- You don’t get your period after two months.
- You have symptoms of pregnancy.
How Can Cleburne Pregnancy Center Help Me?
Before choosing the abortion pill method (chemical abortion), we encourage you to get as much information as possible. We do not perform or refer for abortion, but we can give you factual information about various abortion procedures, the side effects to expect, and potential physical and emotional risks.
Protect your health and safety by talking with a member of our team. Schedule an appointment online or call (817) 641-7741. We’re here for you.
Abortion is currently illegal in Texas except in cases of life endangerment, but women cannot be held criminally or civilly liable for seeking one.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.