Side Effects of a Medical Abortion

Before we talk about side effects, let’s first go over what a medical abortion is. While you likely know that it’s the process of ending a pregnancy, many don’t understand what happens during a medical abortion. The Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic is not an abortion provider and does not prescribe the abortion pill. We’re here to help you understand the procedure and all of your pregnancy options.

Medical abortions utilize two drugs in the form of pills to end a pregnancy within the first 70 days of gestation.(1) The first drug, Mifepristone, stops the production of progesterone, a naturally produced hormone that the body makes to help the pregnancy grow.(2) This pill is typically taken at a doctor’s office or clinic.

The second step utilizes the drug Misoprostol, which induces labor and expels the fetus. While the process is started at a doctor’s office, it is completed at home.(3)

A woman is sitting on the shore of a lake with her legs crossed.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF ABORTION?

When considering any medical procedure, it’s important to do some research on the potential side effects and risks you might experience. The same can be said about abortion.

Whether you’re looking into abortion as an option for your pregnancy, researching for a friend, or having a confirmed appointment for an abortion, gaining knowledge about the procedure is an important step in making an informed decision.

Common side effects of a medical abortion include severe cramping/abdominal pain, bleeding, nausea, weakness, fever and chills, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, and dizziness.(4)

Along with these minor side effects, more serious complications are possible. Here are the top five you should know about:

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Although there has not been enough data on the long-term effects of a medical abortion, women who saw the expelled fetus were most susceptible to psychological distress including nightmares, flashbacks, and unwanted thoughts related to the procedure.(5)

LIFE-THREATENING COMPLICATIONS

Incomplete abortions occur when the abortion is not successful in expelling all of the pregnancy tissue from the uterus. 1 When left untreated, it can result in infection or hemorrhaging. In fact, medication abortions have a higher risk of incomplete abortion or hemorrhaging than surgical abortions. 6 If a woman thinks she may be experiencing an incomplete abortion, a doctor must be contacted immediately.

INFECTION

According to the FDA some women have died because of an overwhelming bodily infection (sepsis) after using the abortion pill.(7)

UNDIAGNOSED ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

The abortion pill will not end an ectopic pregnancy (when the embryo attaches outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube). If not detected early enough, there is a risk of a tube bursting, internal hemorrhage and sometimes death.(8)

I’M PREGNANT — WHAT DO I DO?

Are you experiencing an unplanned pregnancy? You’re not alone. In fact, many women experience unintended pregnancies each year. While it’s normal to feel worried or scared, remember that you have options.

Here at Open Arms, we’re passionate about guiding women through unplanned pregnancies by providing clinical pregnancy testing, an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy, resources, options education, and much more. Contact us today.

1 American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists. (2020). Medication abortion up to 70 days of gestation. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 136(4), 855-858. Doi 10.1097/aog.0000000000004083

2 Food & Drug Administration. (2023, January). Mifepristone medication guide. Retrieved June 28, 2023, from https://www.fda.gov/media/164654/download

3 Physician’s Desk Reference (2019). Cytotec | Drug Summary | PDR.net. Retrieved from https://www.pdr.net/drug-summary/?drugLabelId=1044

4.1 Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (2023, Jan 4). Questions and Answers on Mifeprex. Retrieved from http://wwww.fda.gov/drugs/post-market-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifeprex

4.2 Food and Drug Administration. MEDICATION GUIDE Mifeprex (MIF-Eh-Prex) (Mifepristone) Tablets, for Oral Use. Mar. 2016. https://www.fda.gov/media/72923/download#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20side%20effects,pain%20or%20other%20side%20effects

5 Slade,P., Heke, S., Fletcher, J., & Stewart, P. (1998). A comparison of medical and surgical termination of pregnancy: choice, emotional impact and satisfaction with care. Bjog-an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 105(12), 1288-95. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmp009 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9883920/

6 Niinimäki M, Pouta A, Bloigu A, Gissler M, Hemminki E, Suhonen S, Heikinheimo O. Immediate complications after medical compared to surgical termination of pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Oct;114(4):795-804.doi:10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b5ccf9. PMID:19888037 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19888037/

7 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2018, December 21). Mifepristone U.S. Postmarketing Adverse Events Summary. Retrieved from https://fda.gov/media/112118/download

8 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Post market Drug Safety Information for Patients and Providers (2023, Jan 4). Mifeprex ™ questions and answers: retrieved from website: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation

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Side Effects of a Medical Abortion