What are the Risks of an Abortion Procedure? 

Are you considering abortion but worried about the potential health risks you might face?

Liberty Women’s Clinic is here to help you understand the difference between your abortion procedure options, provide awareness surrounding the various risks and side effects you may encounter, and educate you on the healthiest and safest pregnancy options for you! 

What are My Abortion Options? 

Medical Abortion

Medical abortion, often called the abortion pill, is a two-step process that utilizes the drugs Mifepristone and Misoprostol. Mifepristone is used to inhibit the production of progesterone and prevent the body from providing the nutrients and support the pregnancy needs to survive. 

Once the pregnancy has ended, Misoprostol is used to force the body to contract and expel the pregnancy tissue through a process of cramping and bleeding.

The abortion pill is only available to women in the first 70 days of pregnancy. 

Surgical Abortion

Surgical abortions, on the other hand, require an invasive removal of the pregnancy tissue. The tools and techniques used to terminate the pregnancy depend on how developed the fetus is at the time of the abortion. Typically, the abortion provider will dilate the cervix in order to scrape or suction the pregnancy tissue from the womb.

Surgical abortions may be performed at any stage of the pregnancy until your state’s gestational limit on an elective abortion procedure. According to Kansas and Missouri law, women are eligible for abortion until 22 weeks gestation, unless the abortion is required to save the life of the mother or spare her from “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.”

What are the Risks of an Abortion Procedure? 

Side effects of the abortion pill may include cramping, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. Women may also experience more dangerous health risks including sepsis, infections, and hemorrhaging.

Women who undergo surgical abortion procedures may encounter side effects such as abdominal cramping, heavy bleeding, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Additional health complications have been reported, including damage to the cervix, perforation of the uterine lining, infections, sepsis, and hemorrhaging.

Is Abortion Right for Me? 

Whether you’re considering the abortion pill or a surgical abortion, it’s important to remember that abortion is a serious medical procedure and is not without risk. The safety and effectiveness of an abortion depend largely on a woman’s health condition, gestational age, and the location of the pregnancy.

In order to avoid known risks and determine if elective abortion is right for you, we recommend taking time to better understand your pregnancy and the options available to you before visiting an abortion provider.

Liberty Women’s Clinic provides free and confidential lab-quality pregnancy testing, limited OB ultrasound scans, and STI testing in order to help you better understand your unique health status and the risks you might face when it comes to abortion.

These screenings will help you identify the gestational age and location of your pregnancy, and help to determine whether or not you have any conditions that may complicate an abortion procedure, including STIs and ectopic pregnancy.

The staff at Liberty Women’s Clinic will discuss your results with you, provide free options counseling, and point you to helpful resources and referrals. We are here to empower and educate you as you determine what’s right for you and your pregnancy!

Schedule an Appointment

Contact us today for a confidential conversation! 

This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional counseling and/or medical advice.