Abortion is a term most people want to avoid. This is because they do not fully understand it. People believe that abortion is not safe and can lead to complications. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Abortion actually is a solution to your medical complication during pregnancy. Some people face health issues during pregnancy and thus need to end it. Some people are not able to afford another child, or are not ready to take up the big responsibility. For all these people, abortion is a great solution.
What Is Abortion?
Abortion is a method used to end unplanned pregnancies. In some cases, doctors perform this to save the life of a patient if giving birth to a child proves to be fatal to her. Doctors use two types of abortion methods – surgical abortion and medical abortion. The type of method to be used depends on the stage of your pregnancy. Medical experts will recommend that you have an abortion during the first trimester because medical abortion does not work in the second trimester. In case you are already in the second trimester, you have no other option but to go for surgical procedures. But don’t worry, surgical abortion and medical abortion are both safe.
What to Expect During the Appointment
When you go to the clinic for an abortion, the first thing that the doctor will do is to check your medical history. This will allow him to determine whether you are allergic to certain types of drugs, as well as assess your current health condition. The doctor will also perform a physical examination and lab tests to verify the stage of your pregnancy. In some cases, doctors may recommend to perform an ultrasound on you.
Once the doctor has verified that you are pregnant, he/she will give you 24 hours to rethink your decision. During this time, I will suggest that you talk to your friends or relatives for emotional support. Counseling will also be of a great help.
Abortion Procedures
Once you have already made up your mind to have an abortion, the doctor will let you decide whether to undergo a medical abortion or surgical abortion. However, as mentioned earlier, medical abortion is only applicable for people who are in the first trimester of pregnancy.
In medical abortion, the doctor will use a combination of drugs to induce abortion. Usually this is a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone will block the hormone that the uterus needs in holding a fertilized egg. Misoprostol on the other hand, will make your uterus contract and expel its content through vaginal bleeding.
You have more options when it comes to surgical abortion. The two most common methods of abortion are vacuum aspiration, and dilation & evacuation. The former uses a vacuum to suction the contents of the uterus while the latter removes it through scraping. Both methods are painless since you are under sedation when it is performed.
Abortion is a safe method of pregnancy termination. However, to ensure that everything will be safe, always go to an abortion clinic as early as possible.