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Why Does an Ultrasound Matter if I’m Considering Abortion?
Even if you are thinking about abortion, an ultrasound is essential to provide you with key details about your pregnancy that will reveal which options are available to you.
Facts About Medical Abortion You Might Not Know
A medical abortion, also known as the “abortion pill,” is the process of terminating a pregnancy with drugs.
We’re glad you’re asking this question. It’s essential to know about the different abortion procedures, side effects to expect, and any potential risks.
Learn some of the risks of ordering the abortion pill online here, and contact a pregnancy care provider near you if you have other questions or concerns.
What Is the Abortion Pill Method?
Despite being called the abortion pill, this method actually uses two drugs to terminate a pregnancy. The first drug, mifepristone, is highly regulated by the FDA. Only certified providers can distribute the drug.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, an essential hormone for the pregnancy’s growth. Without progesterone, a pregnancy cannot survive. After taking mifepristone, a woman takes the second drug, misoprostol, to cause bleeding and cramping, which removes the tissue from the body through the vagina.
What Do I Need to Know?
Ordering abortion drugs online can have serious consequences. You need to find out the answers to these questions:
How Far Along Is My Pregnancy?
Knowing how many weeks you’ve been pregnant (the gestational age) is critical. The FDA has only approved the use of the drugs through 10 weeks of pregnancy (70 days past the first day of your last period). The Mayo Clinic recommends not using the drugs past 9 weeks (63 days).
Is the Pregnancy Progressing, or Have I Miscarried?
Over one in four early pregnancies ends in a miscarriage. Because it takes days or possibly weeks for your body to return to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, you could still get a positive pregnancy test result despite miscarrying. Obviously, if you’ve miscarried, there’s no reason to spend money on abortion drugs.
Where Is My Pregnancy Located?
The FDA lists a confirmed or suspected ectopic pregnancy as a reason not to use abortion drugs. An ectopic pregnancy develops outside the uterus. It can be extremely dangerous, even fatal. An ultrasound will help determine the location of your pregnancy.
What Are the Risks?
Have you ever ordered something online based on their advertisement only to find you received something completely different? Many online sellers of the abortion pill are from foreign countries. They promise cheaper prices but have no FDA oversight.
Without any regulatory inspections, the dosage and type of drug cannot be guaranteed. Advertisers can ship a prescription without instructions or the wrong number of pills. You need to protect your health and safety.
By ordering the drugs online, you are administering them yourself. How will you know if you’re bleeding too much or if the abortion is complete? The Mayo Clinic suggests not taking the drugs if you can’t make a follow-up visit to your provider or don’t have access to emergency care.
There are other health limitations to using this method. You cannot use these abortion drugs if you have an allergy to them, have certain medical conditions, or take steroid medicines. You are also at risk if you have an IUD in place or an ectopic pregnancy.
In addition, Texas state statutes say, “A manufacturer, supplier, physician, or any other person may not provide to a patient any abortion-inducing drug by courier, delivery or mail service.”
Where Do I Get the Information I Need?
You can get the critical information you need through a limited obstetrical ultrasound. An ultrasound determines how far along you are in your pregnancy and detects if it is progressing or ectopic.
Most physicians or clinics charge fees for ultrasounds, but many pregnancy care providers offer them for free. For help finding an organization near you, enter your zip code here or call 877-345-7734.
Make your health and safety a priority. Get answers to important questions before moving forward. Help is available.