Things to Know After Taking Abortion Pills

Medical abortion also known as medication abortion is a safe and effective method to end an unwanted pregnancy with ease and from the comfort of your home. Usually, women prefer medication abortion instead of surgical abortion due to its easy availability and effectiveness. 

Medical abortion is done with the help of abortion pills, mainly mifepristone and misoprostol. When these two abortion pills are taken in a combination, the success rate is 98%. 

Before choosing medication abortion, it is essential to know certain things that you may experience after taking abortion pills. Read this complete blog and understand the after-care of abortion with medication.

How Does Medical Abortion Work?

Medical abortion is the method of terminating an unwanted pregnancy with the help of abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol. For the medical abortion process mifepristone is the first tablet you take, it blocks the progesterone in your body, required to sustain the pregnancy, which means the growth of the pregnancy stops.

Next you need to take misoprostol, within 24-48 hours, depending how far along you are. Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin that causes uterine contractions and dilates your cervix to expel the pregnancy tissue from the uterus through the vagina, hence completing the abortion process.

Is Medical Abortion Safe?

Medical abortion is very safe and efficient. It is a very non-invasive and non-intrusive process that can be performed from the comfort of your home. The success rate of medical abortion is 98% most of the time.

There are very rare cases where medical abortion hasn't worked due to wrong/fake medications or incorrect dosage. Even the side effects are mild to moderate and go away within a week. Some people don’t even experience any kind of side effect.

 

Things to Know After Taking Abortion Pills

 

·         Bleeding and Cramping: Cramping and heavy bleeding is certain and also one of the common side effects after taking abortion pills. Contractions caused by misoprostol lead to cramping and heavy bleeding. The pregnancy tissues that fell out of the uterus came out in the form of heavy bleeding.

Make sure you have resources like a hot water bag, hot water bottle, and sanitary napkins and some over-the-counter medications recommended by your doctor to overcome the pain.

·         Physical Recovery: Your body needs complete rest during and after abortion. Make sure you are at a place where you feel safe and your privacy is protected. Taking abortion pills may drain out your energy and your body will require complete rest and care. Avoid going out for a few days and stay at home. Stay hydrated and eat nutrient-rich foods and prioritize your health.

·         Emotional and Mental Health: Medical abortion may take a toll on your mental and emotional health. You may experience emotions like grief, guilt, sadness, and a sense of empowerment. Ask for emotional support from your family and friends, or meet with a mental health professional.

·         Follow-up Check up: This is an essential and recommended step by a medical professional. After the abortion process is complete, it’s important to do a check up after two weeks, to confirm the abortion and check if there are any complications. Because in very rare cases it happens that the abortion is incomplete, and you may have to perform a surgical abortion.

The Bottom Line

Medical abortion/medication abortion is very helpful for women who cannot afford the surgical method and needs their privacy to be protected. Medical abortion provides privacy without any restrictions. The abortion pills can be administered at home without any complications if you are well aware of the process.