Am I Eligible for the Abortion Pill?

While anyone can find or order the abortion pill, it doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone. 

The first step in understanding whether the abortion pill could be considered an option, given your health, is to schedule an ultrasound.

An ultrasound confirms key details about your pregnancy, including gestational age. Because the abortion pill is only FDA-approved for use through 10 weeks of gestation, knowing exactly how far along you are is essential.

At Positive Options, we offer free pregnancy confirmation, including ultrasounds, so you can get the information you need to make a confident decision.

What Conditions Rule Out the Abortion Pill as an Option?

There are health conditions that would make the abortion pill an unsafe option or require adjustments before taking the abortion pill (such as switching medications). 

In addition to being too far along in your pregnancy, which can reduce the effectiveness of the drugs and increase the risks, there are some additional conditions that could make it unsafe:

• Having an intrauterine device (IUD) currently in place

• Having certain medical conditions, especially related to blood and the circulatory system (heart, liver, kidney, etc.)

• Taking a blood thinner or certain steroid medicines

• Being unable to attend follow-up visits to your provider

• Not having access to emergency care

• Having an allergy to mifepristone or misoprostol

What Are the Risks? 

The Mayo Clinic lists the following risks of medical abortion: the procedure not working, an incomplete abortion (this may require surgery), heavy and prolonged bleeding, infection, fever, and digestive system discomfort.

Medline Plus notes that serious, life-threatening vaginal bleeding may occur when a pregnancy ends by miscarriage or by medical or surgical abortion. It’s vital to monitor your bleeding to ensure you are not bleeding too much. If you are, emergency help is necessary.

What are the Side Effects?

The abortion pill causes vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping as the uterus contracts to expel the pregnancy and related tissue. This can come with varying pain, which differs for each woman.

According to the Mayo Clinic, medical abortion may also cause nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, diarrhea, and headache. 

Next Steps

At Positive Options, we offer no-cost pregnancy services, such as pregnancy testing and ultrasounds, so you can learn important information, including your pregnancy’s gestational age, location, and whether or not your pregnancy is progressing with a detectable heartbeat.

These important details can verify facts like whether you have an ectopic pregnancy, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate care.

In addition to learning more about the abortion pill, we also act as a sounding board for you to ask questions and gather information in a compassionate environment. Contact us today!