Unwanted pregnancies can be a whole series of inconveniences, especially if we do not have much money to maintain a future baby. It is for this reason, and also because they do not believe that it is the right time to conceive, that many couples consider the idea of having an abortion. However, conventional abortions, in specialized clinics, usually involve a very high cost that not all pockets can afford.
But if we are in an early stage of pregnancy, we have another much cheaper option: abortion pills. If you had not heard of them, do not worry, because in we explain what they are and answer the question that you will surely be asking yourself at this time: how long can I abort with pills?
What is the abortion pill
Abortion pills consist of a pharmacological method that interrupts the pregnancy process in a less aggressive way than a surgical intervention. Depending on the country in which we are located, this drug is called in one way or another, such as: abortion pills, abortion pills, abortion pills, abortion drugs, chemical abortion, pregnancy termination pills, etc.
However, the abortion pill, which consists of two different medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, only works safely and effectively during the early stage of pregnancy.
How the Abortion Pill Works
Pregnancy, in order for it to develop properly, needs the presence of a hormone called progesterone. In this way, the first pill you should consume, mifepristone, is responsible for blocking progesterone, which also stops the progress of pregnancy. Finally, the second pill, misoprostol, is responsible for emptying the uterus through bleeding similar to menstruation.
Is the abortion pill sold in pharmacies?
As we said, the abortion pill consists of a two-pill treatment. The first one will be given to you by your doctor or specialist when you go to his office. The second you must take it on your own after 24 to 48 hours.
However, if you are a shy person or for whatever reason you do not want to go through the doctor, you will be interested to know that you can also get the abortifacient drug in any pharmacy, as it happens with the morning after pill.
Until what month can the abortion pill be taken?
Usually, the abortion pill can be taken until day 70 of pregnancy (10 weeks), which corresponds to about 2 and a half months, always counting after your last menstrual period. After 71 days, it is advisable to abort through surgical intervention.
Effectiveness of the abortion pill
The abortion pill is highly effective, although its effectiveness also depends largely on the week of pregnancy in which you are:
- Less than 8 weeks: in this case, the efficacy would be 98%.
- Between 8 and 9 weeks: here the efficacy would be reduced to 96%.
- Between 9 and 10 weeks: the pill here would be 93% effective.
Normally the abortifacient drug usually works. However, if your pregnancy is not interrupted, you can go back to your doctor to advise you on the next steps to follow, as there are still options to abort.
Side Effects of the Abortion Pill
Like any other drug, the abortion pill has a number of side effects, including:
- Tiredness or cramping: these can occur for a whole day after taking both pills, or maybe even a little more.
- Bleeding: For a while you will have bleeding similar to menstruation. In principle it should be scarce, like the last days of the rule. If you have heavy bleeding, go to your doctor as soon as possible.
- Breast tenderness: this is another possible effect. It is even possible that these segregate a whitish liquid. But don't worry, this should be over in a few days.
- Chills, fever, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting: if you have any of these symptoms, they should disappear in a short time. If after 24 hours these symptoms persist, see your doctor as soon as possible.
- Emotional changes: Many people feel different emotions after abortion. This is completely normal. Of course, if your emotions are negative and persist for a long time, go to your doctor.
- Altered menstrual cycle: with abortion a new menstrual cycle begins, so your period should return to normal between 4 and 8 weeks after the abortion.
Any other symptoms you have, as well as if there is something that worries you, it is best to go to your doctor so that he can guide you in the best possible way and help you. It is also important that for several days you do not do sudden exercises or take a lot of weight, as that could hurt you.
Does abortion with pills hurt?
When aborting with pills, there is colic and quite heavy bleeding. In fact, it is practically like a miscarriage in the first stage of pregnancy, so you would inevitably feel a little pain due to colic, which is often also had with the period. In this way, we could say that abortion with pills is similar to a slightly intense menstruation.
However, the effects should wear off fairly soon. If not, you should go to your doctor to assess you, the same if you have any other symptoms that alarm you and that is not described in the previous section.
Other ways to abort in the first few weeks
Apart from this pharmacological method that we have described, there are also other ways to abort in the first weeks of pregnancy, such as:
Surgical methods to abort
If the abortion pill has failed, you can abort through small surgical interventions that will depend on your state of gestation:
- Up to 14 weeks of pregnancy: up to 14 weeks the so-called “Karman method of dilation and aspiration” can be performed. This practice consists of progressively dilating the cervix until its contents can be aspirated. But do not worry, because it can be performed with local, general or sedation anesthesia, either by medical advice or by desire of the woman. The technique is very fast, as it lasts between 3 and 10 minutes. From the 14th week, only the doctor will be able to decide on the abortion of the woman, something that will depend on several factors, since in such an advanced state the life of the mother can be at risk.
- Up to 16-17 weeks of pregnancy: the process here is very similar to the previous one, only with small variations. With the help of medication, the cervix is dilated in order to aspirate its contents. In this case, it can be performed either with sedation or with general anesthesia.
- Up to 22 weeks of pregnancy: In this case, a method called “dilation and evacuation” or “D&E” is used. It consists of an outpatient intervention that is performed either with sedation or with general anesthesia. Here it is a matter of dilating the cervix and, with the help of a surgical instrument, provoking a subsequent evacuation. This usually takes between 10 and 30 minutes, but the woman should stay in the clinic for 5 to 12 hours.
- From 22 weeks of pregnancy: after this time, we still have time to abort. In this case, always under medical intervention, the woman must take the abortion pill, with the difference that she will take the second one several times, which would cause the abortion. However, for this practice, the woman must be under the effects of epidural anesthesia or with intravenous analgesia. This practice can last between 10 and 12 hours, a time similar to childbirth.
Home Methods to Abort
Home methods are not recommended for abortion, since the only thing that would be achieved would be for the woman to get sick or damage different organs. Much has been heard and read about dropping down the stairs, taking special infusions and other techniques little or nothing recommended (in addition, also ineffective). It is best to go to the specialist and guide you throughout the process.
Now that you know the answer to the question “how long can I abort with pills?”, you may also be interested in this other article on How to overcome an abortion.
