Abortion, no matter how it’s performed, including online abortion, is a serious life-changing procedure. Texas law states, “A manufacturer, supplier, physician, or any other person may not provide to a patient any abortion-inducing drug by courier, delivery, or mail service.”
So, not only is an online or at-home abortion a serious procedure but sending the drugs through the mail is illegal in Texas.
What Is An Online or At-Home Abortion?
Online or at-home abortion refers to using drugs to terminate a pregnancy. This abortion procedure is known as medication, medical, or chemical abortion. The abortion pill method is a medication abortion.
How Does The Abortion Pill Work?
Calling this method “the abortion pill” is misleading since you actually take two drugs over a 24 to 48-hour period.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone, causing the lining of the uterus to thin and preventing the embryo from staying implanted and growing.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes the uterus to contract and expel the embryo through the vagina. A follow-up appointment with a doctor is necessary to ensure the abortion is complete.
In Texas, a woman considering abortion must have an ultrasound exam at least 24 hours before an abortion. The ultrasound reveals how far along the pregnancy is and if a heartbeat is detectable.
Risks Of Mifepristone
The Mayo Clinic reports these warnings about mifepristone:
- The dose needed will be different for different patients
- The amount of medicine you take depends on the strength of the medicine
- This medicine will cause you to bleed and have cramps for about 2 to 4 weeks
- It’s sometimes necessary to have a surgical abortion to end the pregnancy completely
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also has warnings:
- The drug must be ordered, prescribed, and dispensed by or under the supervision of a certified healthcare provider who meets specific qualifications
- A woman should not take mifepristone if it has been more than 70 days since the first day of her last menstrual period
- A woman should not take mifepristone if she has an ectopic pregnancy
The Dangers Of An At-Home Abortion
There are other side effects and risks associated with the abortion pill, such as:
- An incomplete abortion
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
By performing an abortion in your home, you run the risk of:
- Not knowing exactly how far advanced the pregnancy is
- Not knowing whether the pregnancy is an ectopic pregnancy
- Not having immediate oversight of a healthcare professional if there is an emergency
- Not knowing how much blood and cramping is too much for safety
- Possible infection from retained pregnancy tissue or fetal parts
- Prolonged and heavy bleeding is not proof of a completed abortion
Your Best First Step
The staff at Cleburne Pregnancy Center is ready to help you. Whether you’re wondering if you’re pregnant or you’ve taken an at-home pregnancy test, confirm your results with a free pregnancy test from Cleburne. We’ll schedule you for a free ultrasound if that test is positive. An ultrasound scan will tell you if your pregnancy is within the required window of time for a medication abortion and whether your pregnancy is normally located or is ectopic (located in the fallopian tube).
Make an appointment at Cleburne Pregnancy Center. All of your test results and our conversations will be kept strictly confidential. You have options for your unplanned pregnancy. Let’s talk about those and your future.