Every drug, including abortion drugs, has side effects. However, because you take the drugs used in the abortion pill method at home, it’s vital to know what to expect.
You need to be aware of how much bleeding or cramping is too much so you know when to seek emergency care. Get the facts before taking these two powerful drugs.
What Is the Abortion Pill Method?
The abortion pill has several different names, like medical, medication, or chemical abortion. Although it’s called the abortion pill, you take two different drugs.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone. Every pregnancy requires progesterone to continue growing, so without this essential hormone, the pregnancy ends.
The second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions to expel the pregnancy from your body through the vagina.
What Are the Side Effects?
The Mayo Clinic lists the following as potential side effects of a medical or chemical abortion:
- Vaginal bleeding (this always occurs)
- Cramping in the stomach area (this always occurs)
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Headache
When Should I Be Concerned?
Since you are at home and often alone during the process, it’s critical to recognize the signs of trouble. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms after using the abortion pill method:
- Heavy bleeding – soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours in a row
- Bad pain in the stomach area or pelvis. Some reports suggest the pain was much greater than many women were prepared for.
- Chills or body aches
- Fast heart rate
- Fever that lasts more than four hours or that starts in the days after you take misoprostol (the second drug)
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
Is There More to Know?
How far along you are in your pregnancy determines if you are eligible for the abortion pill method. Although PCS Health does not perform or refer for abortion, we can provide free and confidential pregnancy testing.
If your test is positive, we offer a free and confidential ultrasound to confirm that your pregnancy is developing. An ultrasound also determines how far along you are and if the pregnancy is in the correct place.
Our client advocates and nurses offer a free consultation to discuss your situation and give you the information you need to make a confident decision. We want to keep you safe.
You can schedule an appointment online, call us at (530) 626-6720, or text us at (530) 363-8110. We’ll be in touch right away because you matter to us.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.