Are you struggling with your unplanned pregnancy?
Maybe it couldn’t have come at a worse time financially. Or maybe your boyfriend is threatening to leave if you choose adoption or parenting. Maybe you want to have a career before you become a mother.
Whatever the circumstances, it might be tempting to rush into a decision to have an abortion.
But before you do, it is important to stop. Breathe. Ask questions.
Learn more about the risks, potential complications, alternatives, and costs. The more educated you are about your choice, the more confident you can be in your decision.
What Are the Risks of a Medical Abortion?
When you take the abortion pill at home, you may experience side effects that range from mild to extreme.
The abortion pill works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is needed to bring nutrients into the womb. Once this supply is cut off, the pregnancy can’t survive. Your body will then begin labor-like cramping and will expel the contents of the uterus.
The side effects can include:
- Extreme cramping
- Heavy bleeding
- Nausea
- Incomplete abortion, when your body does not expel all of the pregnancy
- Infection that can lead to septic shock, uterine scarring, and infertility
- Failed abortion
- Digestive issues
- Hemorrhaging that results in death
What Are the Risks of a Surgical Abortion?
A surgical abortion is one that usually happens after the first trimester when the abortion pill is no longer an option. This often is performed when a clinician mechanically dilates your cervix and then inserts a suction cup to suck out all the parts of your pregnancy.
Risks include:
- Infection from bacteria that gets into the uterus during the procedure
- Incomplete abortion
- Perforation of the uterus and other internal organs
- Tearing of the uterine wall
- Future infertility
- Very heavy bleeding and hemorrhaging
- Death
What Are the Mental and Emotional Risks of Abortion?
Many women don’t realize that abortion can leave mental and emotional scars for years to come.
A 2011 study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry reported that there were dramatic changes in mental health in women who had an abortion. The study examined medical information from 877,000 women, of which 164,000 had an abortion; the women who had an abortion were 81 percent more likely to experience mental health struggles.
They were:
- 34% more likely to develop an anxiety disorder
- 37% more likely to experience depression
- 110% more likely to abuse alcohol
- 155% more likely to commit suicide
- 220% more likely to abuse marijuana
Almost thirty years ago, the Journal of Social Issues dedicated an entire issue filled with contributions about the psychological effects of induced abortion. In conclusion of the issue, the editor, Dr. Gregory Wilmoth, said, “There is now virtually no disagreement among researchers that some women experience negative psychological reactions postabortion.”
Who Can I Process My Abortion With?
If you already have had an abortion and are struggling with any of these physical or emotional complications, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We can help you find the resources you need to start the path to healing.
And if you have an unplanned pregnancy and are considering abortion, do not rush into your decision until you have all the information.
You don’t want to look back someday and wonder, what if someone had told me that I would have this major complication from my abortion?
At our clinic, we can answer any questions you have about abortion and can explain other alternative choices to you as well. Give us a call today.
