What is abortion?

A pregnancy can be ended (abortion) with medicines or surgery.

Your abortion options are affected by your past health and how many weeks pregnant you are. There are fewer abortion options during the second trimester.

Abortion may or may not be legal where you live. No matter where you live, if you need an abortion, you can reach out to Planned Parenthood. They can tell you where you can get an abortion and how to access that care. There may be funds available if you need to travel.

Medical abortion

Medicines can be used to cause (induce) abortion. This often involves taking more than one medicine. The type of medicine may depend on how many weeks of pregnancy have passed. Some are used up to about 11 weeks of pregnancy. These may include:

• Mifepristone. This medicine is also known as Mifeprex or RU-486. It blocks the effects of the hormone progesterone. This stops the placenta's growth and softens the cervix.
• Misoprostol. This hormone softens and opens (dilates) the cervix and triggers uterine cramping to clear the uterus of all tissue.

Medicines can also be used to end a second-trimester pregnancy. This is called an induction abortion. The medicines start contractions, which expel the fetus from the uterus.

Surgical abortion

Different procedures are used to remove the contents of the uterus. Which one is used depends on how many weeks of pregnancy have passed.

Surgical methods used in the first trimester (5 to 12 weeks) include manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) and machine vacuum aspiration. These use suction through a small tube to empty the uterus of all tissue.

Surgical methods used in the second trimester include dilation and evacuation (D&E). This is most often done when an abortion occurs in the second 12 weeks of pregnancy. It usually includes a combination of vacuum aspiration and sometimes the use of surgical tools (such as forceps) to clear the uterus of fetal and placental tissue.

A D&E is most commonly used during the second trimester. That's because it has a lower complication risk than induction abortion.

The following health professionals can perform abortions:

• Gynecologist
• Family medicine doctor
• Certified nurse-midwife
• Nurse-practitioner
• Physician assistant

Surgical abortions are minor surgeries that require a health professional with specialized training. Some health professionals offer medical abortion only. They can recommend another health professional if a surgical abortion is needed. Other health professionals offer medical abortion and surgical abortion.

Abortion services are most likely to be offered at university hospitals and family planning clinics.

For some, the choice to have an abortion is clear. For others, it's more complicated. Everyone has their own reason for an abortion. It’s common to feel a range of emotions after having an abortion. Many people feel relief. But you may also have feelings of grief, sadness, or guilt. Whatever you feel (or don’t feel) is normal.

A small number of people have long-term emotional reactions after an abortion. If you have lasting feelings of sadness, guilt, or depression, be sure to talk about your feelings with a supportive family member or friend, a professional counselor, or your health professional.

Pill abortions and in-clinic abortions are generally very safe. Both are low-risk options. The risk may be less if the abortion is done before 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion is the early ending of a pregnancy. This can be done with a procedure (in-clinic abortion) or medicines (pill abortion). It can also be done using medicines to start labor and delivery (induction abortion). When a pregnancy ends on its own, it's called a miscarriage.

Having an abortion usually won't keep you from getting pregnant later.

It will probably take you a day to a few weeks to feel better after an abortion. Ask your doctor when it's okay to have vaginal sex.

Keep in mind that you can get pregnant in the weeks right after an abortion. If you don't want to get pregnant, talk with your doctor about birth control options.

The earlier you are in your pregnancy, the more options you are likely to have.

Before 11 weeks, you may have a choice of taking medicine to end the pregnancy (pill abortion) or having a procedure such as vacuum aspiration (in-clinic abortion).

After 11 weeks, in-clinic abortion is usually the only option. Abortions are rarely done after 24 weeks of pregnancy (during the late second trimester and entire third trimester).

There are two types of abortions. One type is done with medicines (pill abortion). The other is a procedure (in-clinic abortion). The best type for you may depend on things such as your past health, where you live, and how many weeks pregnant you are.

In a pill abortion, you take medicines to end the pregnancy. This may be done at home. Your doctor will explain how to take the pills. They can be taken as soon as you know that you are pregnant. These medicines usually cause bleeding and strong cramps for 3 to 5 hours. You may need to take pain medicine. After 3 to 5 hours, the cramps and bleeding usually lessen. Then for about 1 to 2 weeks, you will probably bleed like you do when you have your period.

You will have an ultrasound or a lab test to make sure the abortion worked. You will be told when to do this. In a few cases, the medicine doesn't work. If that happens, you may need to take a second dose of medicine or have an in-clinic abortion.

In an in-clinic abortion, a doctor gently widens the opening of your cervix and puts a tube in your uterus. The tube uses suction to remove the contents of the uterus. This procedure takes less than an hour. Before the procedure, you may get medicine to relieve pain and help you relax. After, you may have strong cramps and light bleeding. They don't usually last more than a few days. But cramping may last for up to a few weeks.