Making a pregnancy decision may seem somewhat straightforward, or it can be complex. Perhaps you know which option you’re leaning toward or need further guidance.
If you’re considering abortion, there are several things to keep in mind during the decision-making process. While Informed Choices Women’s Center does not provide or refer for abortions, we’ll help you gather information about your pregnancy and options so you can prioritize your well-being.
Schedule an appointment today to speak to a nurse about your next steps. In the meantime, keep reading to learn essential things to know when considering abortion.
Having an Ultrasound is a Critical Step
Only an ultrasound can confirm your pregnancy and provide the details needed to make an educated decision. Without this scan, you’ll proceed without knowing the information that protects your health.
An initial ultrasound provides the following details:
Viability
This term refers to whether your pregnancy is developing and has a heartbeat. As many as 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, which can require monitoring or medical treatment.
Gestational Age
Knowing how far along you are is vital information. This will help clarify your options—for example, medical abortion is FDA-approved only through 10 weeks gestation.
Location
A pregnancy should develop in the uterus. However, some women experience an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilized egg implants in another location, like a fallopian tube or the cervix.
This condition is very dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.
Receiving an ultrasound is essential to ensuring you have what’s needed to weigh your options carefully.
Abortion Has Risks and Side Effects
Every abortion method comes with risks and side effects that can impact your health. Part of the pregnancy decision-making process is to learn these details and consider your unique situation.
For example, medical abortion drugs cause abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding, while surgical abortion procedures can result in mild cramping and light vaginal bleeding or spotting for several days.
Additionally, though abortion-associated risks can be rare, they’re important to be aware of so you can assess your health history and make an informed choice.
Medical abortion-associated risks include heavy and prolonged bleeding, infection, and digestive symptoms like upset stomach. Surgical abortion-associated risks include cervical damage and scar tissue on the uterine wall.
It’s vital to weigh the potential risks and review your health history with a provider.
Learning All Your Options is Crucial
Discussing your options with a trusted professional is essential to gain clarity and decide which best fits your circumstances and situation. Since it’s your pregnancy and your decision impacts you the most, you deserve to review parenting, adoption, and abortion without outside pressure.
At Informed Choices Women’s Center, your initial appointment is always with a nurse. After administering a pregnancy test, she can discuss your eligibility for a limited ultrasound. She’ll also explain the risks and side effects of abortion and provide information on parenting and adoption.
After weighing each option and ensuring your questions are answered, you can confidently decide. We’re here to provide the information you need.
No-Cost Help
Are you experiencing an unexpected pregnancy and need to learn more about your options? We can help.
Schedule a no-cost, confidential appointment with a nurse today. You can also call our Mountain Home location at 870-424-4673 or the Harrison location at 870-280-3169.
Informed Choices Women’s Center does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.