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A Medical Abortion refers to the process of terminating a pregnancy with the use of the Abortion Pill ( RU-486, Mifepristone, Misoprostol), and can be used through the 10 th week of pregnancy.  Surgical Abortion refers to the process of terminating a pregnancy by means of surgically removing the baby and products of conception.  This type of abortion is more invasive, requires anesthesia, must be done by a physician and is usually performed after 10 weeks ( but can be performed earlier in the pregnancy). 

In the state of Arizona, women are required to have an appointment with the Abortion Provider 24 hours prior to the Abortion procedure or the Abortion pill. An Ultrasound will be performed to determine how far along in the pregnancy you are.  The provider should offer the option to view the ultrasound, and allow you to hear the heartbeat of the baby.  Hands of Hope offers FREE ultrasounds to confirm a viable pregnancy, and to walk with you through your pregnancy decision.

Nausea, vomiting, weakness, fever, chills, diarrhea, dizziness, headache and severe cramping can all occur when taking the abortion pill.  Severe side effects such as hemorrhage and the need for dilation and curettage (D&C) is possible.  D&C is a surgical procedure requiring anesthesia and includes dilation of the cervix and scraping out the inside of the uterus to remove remaining tissue that is causing the heavy bleeding.  Infection can occur if tissue is left inside the uterus.

Surgical Abortion side effects include risks of anesthesia reaction, perforation of the uterus, damage to the cervix and infection.

Emergency contraception, also known as Plan B, is a hormone called Levonorgestrel. If Plan B is taken within 24 hours after unprotected sex, it decreases the risk of pregnancy by 95%. Plan B is not the same as RU – 486 (the abortion pill) so it does not cause an abortion.  If the fertilized egg has already implanted in the uterus, pregnancy has already occurred and emergency contraception will not be effective. Plan B is not as effective as regular birth control pills and is not meant to replace it.

You should not take the Abortion Pill if:

• You are over 10 weeks pregnant. 
• You have an IUD in place. 
• You have an ectopic pregnancy (schedule a free ultrasound to determine if your pregnancy is located in the uterus.)
• You are taking blood thinners, steroids, or are allergic to abortion pill medications. 

Nobody else can tell you how you feel. While not everyone who has an abortion will have adverse effects, there are those who experience physical complications and/or unexpected emotional impact. You may experience emotional effects shortly afterwards or not until many years later. These may include: 

• Feeling sad or depressed about the decision 
• Feeling guilt or regret about the decision 
• Feeling a sense of loss or grief 
• Difficulty getting the experience out of your mind 
• Feeling a need to keep the abortion a secret or believing no one will understand what you are feeling 
• Having unpleasant dreams or nightmares about the experience 

If you are dealing with unexpected emotions after an abortion, you are not alone! Hands of Hope provides confidential and non-judgmental support to help you process through your abortion experience.