Online or at-home abortion may seem like the most convenient route, but it does come with serious health risks. There are risks due to the lack of medical oversight and the lesser-known quality of the drugs you are ordering online.
What is Online (At-Home) Abortion?
Formally known as medical abortion or the abortion pill, online (at-home) abortion consists of two drugs that work together to terminate an existing pregnancy.
Mifepristone is taken first, which blocks progesterone, a hormone needed for a pregnancy to grow. Second, misoprostol is given, which causes cramping and expels the uterine contents.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the risks of a medical abortion procedure include:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
The Risks of Ordering Online
Along with the risks that come with the medical abortion process, there are even more risks that come when ordering the abortion pill online through overseas providers.
With anything ordered online, there is always a chance for unregulated sources that pose a threat to the quality, safety, and even the ingredients of the drugs.
The Mayo Clinic shares that the abortion pill is not an option for every woman. Medical abortion isn’t an option if you:
- Are too far along in your pregnancy.
- Have an intrauterine device (IUD) currently in place.
- Have a suspected pregnancy outside of the uterus. This is called ectopic pregnancy.
- Have certain medical conditions. These include bleeding disorders, certain heart or blood vessel diseases, severe liver, kidney, or lung disease, or an uncontrolled seizure disorder.
- Take a blood thinner or certain steroid medicines.
- Can’t make follow-up visits to your provider or don’t have access to emergency care.
- Have an allergy to the drugs used.
Safeguard Your Health
Another safety risk to online (at-home) abortion is the inability to confirm your pregnancy to safeguard your health. The FDA does not recommend medical abortion for women past 10 weeks gestation.
The only way to confirm how far along you are in pregnancy is with an ultrasound. This scan also alerts you to any potential pregnancy complications that could disqualify you from abortion.
Confirm your pregnancy today with free lab-quality pregnancy testing and limited obstetrical ultrasound at our center.
Contact us today to get started and learn about all your options. You are not alone.
