In Georgia, for the moment, getting the abortion pill requires an in-person exam by a medical professional before they can prescribe this method. After this exam, the abortion provider can prescribe a medication abortion if the pregnancy is less than six weeks of gestational age. For minors, this can happen only after a parent or guardian has been notified 24 hours prior.
Currently, abortion is allowed up to around six weeks when a fetus has a detectable heartbeat. Read this article for more information about the abortion pill and recommended medical screenings you should take before scheduling an abortion procedure.
How Does the Abortion Pill Work?
The abortion pill is a regimen of two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol.
The first drug, mifepristone, is an antiprogestin. It works to block the pregnancy from receiving the hormone progesterone. Without this hormone, the pregnancy cannot grow, resulting in fetal demise.
Now that the pregnancy has ended, the body needs to remove the fetus to prevent infection. The second drug, misoprostol, is taken 24-48 hours later to induce contractions. This cramping forces the uterus to pass the pregnancy from the body through the vagina.
Risks of the Abortion Pill
According to the Mayo Clinic, potential risks of medical abortion include:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
If you’re experiencing the above symptoms, you must have access to emergency medical care if taking the abortion pill.
Recommended Medical Screening
If you think you are pregnant, the recommended first step is to confirm it with a pregnancy test. Next, it is best to schedule a no-cost ultrasound at our center. The benefits of ultrasound include the pregnancy’s age, location, and viability.
How far along you are in your pregnancy reveals your abortion procedure. The location can determine whether or not you are at risk for an ectopic pregnancy, which means the embryo is implanted outside the womb and at risk of rupturing.
Some pregnancy tests will read as positive but can give a false reading if you have recently suffered a miscarriage. Your body still has high hCG levels, which a pregnancy test can detect.
Ultrasound can give you this information, which can be crucial to helping you understand your next step. At PRC Medical, it is our job to help support and equip you so you feel empowered to make the right decision. Contact us today to schedule your appointment!