Are you considering taking the abortion pill but not sure if you’re eligible? Determining if you’re eligible for the abortion pill is important to safeguard your health.
There are a couple of steps of pregnancy confirmation to take to confirm if you’re eligible for the abortion pill, including pregnancy testing and an ultrasound. The FDA only recommends the abortion pill for women through 10 weeks of pregnancy, so understanding how far along you are through an ultrasound is an important step.
What is the Abortion Pill?
Also called medical abortion, the abortion pill is a series of two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, that terminate an existing pregnancy. The potential risks of the abortion pill, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
- The body not releasing all pregnancy tissue in the uterus, also called an incomplete abortion. This may require surgical treatment.
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work.
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding.
- Infection.
- Fever.
- Digestive symptoms such as upset stomach.
Am I Eligible for the Abortion Pill?
Determine if you’re eligible for the abortion pill by understanding your pregnancy details. First, take advantage of medical-grade pregnancy testing to receive an initial result. Second, we suggest getting an ultrasound to confirm three vital pregnancy details:
- How far along you are (gestational age)
- The location of your pregnancy (whether it’s located within your uterus)
- If your pregnancy is viable (has a heartbeat and is progressing)
Ultrasounds can alert you to potential pregnancy complications, such as ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. In the case you are experiencing either of those complications, you would not be eligible for abortion.
The Mayo Clinic also shares that the abortion pill is NOT 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 anemia, some bleeding disorders, chronic adrenal failure, 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 reach a healthcare professional by phone or online or don’t have access to emergency care.
- Have an allergy to the drugs used in a medical abortion.
Get Answers Today
At The Pregnancy Resource Center, we offer free lab-quality pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds. We understand how scary this time can be, but you are not alone.
Contact us today to start getting answers regarding your pregnancy details and whether you’re eligible for the abortion pill.
The Pregnancy Resource Center does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
