Abortion Procedures
An abortion is a medical procedure used to terminate pregnancy. There are different methods of abortion commonly performed depending on length of pregnancy. One is through a medication and the other methods are procedures which take place in a clinic, including aspiration (the most common method) and D&E (dilation and evacuation). All of these methods, when performed by health care professionals, are very safe.
Medication abortion
Medication or medical abortion is done through the medications mifepristone and misopristol. It works by blocking progesterone, which makes the uterus unable to support a pregnancy. After first taking mifepristone, a woman takes misopristol, which causes the uterus to empty. A woman takes the first pill in the clinic, and the second pill at home. Mifepristone alone has also been found to be an effective method of abortion. For political reasons, opponents of legal abortion make it difficult for health care providers to prescribe and for people to obtain the medication. If not for the politics of the abortion issue, based on their safety record these pills could be available over the counter. Learn more about self-managed abortion at the link below. Medication abortion is different than emergency contraception, or the morning after pill. Emergency contraception is a medication taken after sex or sexual assault to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraception is not an abortion.
Types of Abortion Procedure
The two most common types of abortion procedure are vacuum aspiration and dilation and evacuation .Aspiration is by far the most common abortion procedure. Both of these procedures are performed at a clinic. Learn more about the procedures at the link below.
Abortion Providers
If you are pregnant and you do not want to parent or carry the pregnancy to term, you can get an abortion. Visit one of these websites:
