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As a registered nurse, when a patient has an unexpected positive pregnancy test and is considering an abortion, I always ask the following question: “What do you know about abortion?”
I believe it is very important to know what an abortion is when considering this as an option. Now, you may know based on what you have heard, seen, or read online. However, most of the patients I have met do not have all the information they need to know about abortion.
Let me share it with you. First, there are two types of abortion: medical and surgical. Medical is the one where you take a combination of pills. The first pill is called mifepristone, or RU-486. This pill blocks progesterone from reaching the pregnancy, which may stop the growth, or stop a beating heart.
The second pill is misoprostol or Cytotec. This pill is sometimes given to women in labor and delivery. Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve been induced“? They were probably given Cytotec because it softens the cervix. Softening the cervix causes the pregnancy to pass.
But when women are induced in labor, they are usually in a hospital setting where they are being monitored and their vital signs checked. This is where women need to know that nobody should be having an abortion alone at home. There are risks when taking these meds; understanding these risks is part of what you need to know about abortion.
The first risk is excessive bleeding. You may ask, “Well how much bleeding is too much?” The answer is if you are changing more than two pads in one hour, it is too much. No one can stop that much bleeding, at home, alone, by themselves. They will need to be rushed to the hospital. Upon arrival, it is important to inform the emergency medical staff of the exact medications that were taken.
Another risk is related to the second medicine. Remember, it’s the one that is given to soften the cervix. Well, softening the cervix may cause infections to enter the blood system and may cause something called sepsis, a medical emergency.
Now you may say, “Well that is enough info for me, that is all I need to know about abortion. I don’t want to know about surgical abortion because I only want to do the medical.”
But I always like to give info about both types of abortions because for one I know that knowledge is power. The more you know the better you can think and take time to decide on your options. Second, if medical abortion is not successful, resulting in an incomplete abortion, then the provider may have to perform a surgical abortion.
With a surgical abortion, the provider places a tool, called a dilating rod, into the cervix. It is inserted at the cervix to open the cervix just enough so a suction catheter can be inserted and suction out the contents of the uterus. After the contents of the uterus are removed, they go back in and scrape the lining of the uterus. This is done to make sure they remove the entire pregnancy.
Now with this surgical procedure, there are also risks. Number one is again heavy bleeding; changing two or more pads in an hour is dangerous. Second, is infection. The cervix has a job to stay closed. If something is causing the cervix to be forced open, then an infection (that you may not even know you have) may quickly come up into the pelvic area, causing a severe infection. Again, if you have a medical emergency and go to the hospital, it is important to inform the medical team that you had a surgical abortion.
Now these risks are physical, but I know after speaking to several women who have experienced an abortion, the effects can also be mental. Having an abortion is final. It comes with many mental risks as well as the physical ones.
As a nurse, I know mental health is as important as physical health. When you are not mentally healthy sometimes you will feel it physically. That’s why what you know about abortion should include understanding the effect it could have on your mental health.
So, before you decide what you will do with your pregnancy, it is important to know about abortion – including the procedures and processes involved and what the risks mean to you. Knowing is half the battle!
If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, or a planned pregnancy with unplanned circumstances, call or click here to schedule your free and confidential medical appointment at Alcove Health Women’s Clinic. Our services include ultrasounds, STI testing, and options consultations. You’ll have an opportunity to speak with me, or one of the other registered nurses on staff. We’re here to help you process your pregnancy, know about abortion, and provide the medical services you need to understand all your options.
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