Will My Insurance Pay For My Girlfriend’s Abortion?

o, your insurance will not cover any of your girlfriend's medical costs, including abortion. Most insurance plans will allow you to add dependents to your coverage. There is no legal obligation between you and your girlfriend, she is likely not able to be added to your plan.

How Much Does Abortion Cost?

The average cost of abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, is around $500 for a first-trimester abortion in the US. The average cost of a second-trimester abortion is around $1,000, and late-term abortion is around $3,000 or more.

How Does Medical Abortion Work?

Medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill, works to terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks. This abortion procedure uses two powerful drugs, Mifepristone and Misoprostol. Possible risks of the abortion pill method include incomplete abortion, heavy/prolonged bleeding, infection, and more.

How Does Surgical Abortion Work?

There are multiple types of surgical procedures - all done at a clinic. All procedures require the cervix to be dilated and different surgical tools are used to remove the pregnancy. Possible risks of surgical abortion include perforation of the uterus, damage to the cervix, scar tissue on the uterine wall, and infection.

What are the side effects of abortion?

Most abortions will be accompanied by minor side effects like abdominal pain, cramping, and bleeding. With a medical abortion, common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

When should I get an ultrasound?

An ultrasound follows a positive pregnancy test. At Open Arms, we provide no-cost ultrasounds to confirm your pregnancy. Schedule an appointment with us for a no-cost pregnancy test first. The nurse will determine if an ultrasound is appropriate and, if so, will schedule your ultrasound.

How do I know if I am pregnant?

A late period is usually the first sign of early pregnancy, but there could be a change in your menstrual cycle for other reasons too. Do you have any of these other pregnancy symptoms? Every pregnancy is unique just like every woman. Your best first step is to schedule an appointment at Open Arms for no-cost clinical pregnancy testing.

How soon can I take a pregnancy test?

We recommend you take a test 2 or 3 days after your missed period or 10 days after you think you may have gotten pregnant. This amount of time should give your body enough time to build up a detectable amount of the hCG hormone.

I’m thinking about getting an abortion, what should I do?

Your first step is to get a pre-abortion screening at Open Arms. Once a viable pregnancy is verified and you know how far along you are, we can sit and talk about abortion methods, side effects, and possible risks. You deserve to be fully informed.

Is abortion my only option?

No, you actually have three options. We will be happy to sit down and review all of them with you. When you know you have options, you don’t feel so trapped. None of them, including abortion, are easy decisions to make, but there is an answer for you. Schedule your appointment today.

Can someone be forced to have an abortion?

Many women who are walking through unplanned pregnancies experience pressure from those around them to abort. However, it’s vital to remember that nobody — whether it is your parents, doctor, or partner — can force you to have an abortion. This is true even if you are a minor. Making a decision under pressure can lead to regret later on. It’s important to find support and help if you are in this situation so you can make the best decision for you. What options are available in the case of an unplanned pregnancy When it comes to an unplanned pregnancy, you have three options — parenting, adoption, and abortion. What you want to do regarding your pregnancy is entirely up to you and, with the help of your local pregnancy clinic, you can learn more about each option and be empowered to make the choice that’s right for you.

Why Is It Important To Know When I Got Pregnant?

Why does it matter how far along you are in your pregnancy (the gestational age)? According to the FDA, you are only eligible to take the abortion pill 70 days or less from the first day of your last menstrual period. Are you confident you know the date your pregnancy began? At Open Arms, we find that many women do not have regular monthly cycles or they don’t remember when their last period was. If that is true of you, knowing the dating of a pregnancy can be difficult or uncertain. Confirmation of a viable pregnancy, along with precise dating, can only be done through an ultrasound exam and is an important first step.

How Do I Know If I’ve Miscarried?

Believe it or not, the Mayo Clinic says that up to 20% of known pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage. Some estimate it could be 30% or more because many women miscarry before knowing they are pregnant. You could receive a positive result on an at-home pregnancy test days or even weeks after miscarrying because it takes your body a while to realize it’s no longer pregnant. How do you tell if you’ve already miscarried? Once again, ultrasound can answer this question.

Can Abortion Affect a Woman’s Mental Health?

According to the Mayo Clinic, twice as many women are affected by depression than men. Your mental wellbeing deserves special consideration, especially during such a delicate and stressful time. According to a study conducted over the course of 25 years by medical researcher David Fergusson, it was discovered that abortion was linked to higher rates of anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicidal behaviors. Additionally, he found that a subset of the women experienced major depression. In another study, psychotherapist Vincent Rue found that, in a study comparing the effects of abortion on Russian to US women, 65% of women in the U.S. who had had an abortion, experienced multiple symptoms of PTSD. Although some women who have an abortion may not experience any sort of mental health issues right away, many women who have terminated pregnancies suffer depression, anxiety, and decreased self-esteem immediately later on in life.

What Is an Incomplete Abortion?

Whether you took the abortion pill or had a surgical abortion, one of the risks is an incomplete abortion. If all the products of the pregnancy are not removed from the uterus, this is considered an incomplete abortion. This can be more common after taking the abortion pill, but it happens after surgical abortions as well.

Symptoms of an Incomplete Abortion?

For most women, the primary symptom is moderate to severe vaginal bleeding that lasts days or even weeks as well as cramps that are slightly less severe than contractions (as the body works to expel the remnants of the pregnancy). You should contact your healthcare provider right away if you bleed enough to soak through two thick full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours or if you are concerned about heavy bleeding or severe cramping. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) here are other common signs of incomplete abortion: Fever Vomiting Diarrhea Lower abdominal and/or pelvic pain

What if I’ve Already Had an Abortion?

Thankfully, treatment is available to those who have experienced an abortion. If you believe yours was incomplete, you should seek medical care immediately because incomplete abortions can cause health complications such as uterine rupture or perforation, infection, cervical damage, etc. Protect yourself by getting help immediately.

What Are the Risks of the Abortion Pill?

Before taking the abortion pill, it’s important to know the risks. Some can be quite serious: incomplete abortion, heavy bleeding, infection, fever, and septic shock. As with any medical decision, you deserve the facts before choosing what’s best for you. Keep reading to learn more about the risks of the abortion pill.

What Are the Risks of the Abortion Pill?

HEAVY BLEEDING Bleeding is part of the process of medical abortion, but if you bleed enough to soak through two thick sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Prolonged heavy bleeding may indicate that the abortion was incomplete and would require immediate medical care. In the event of excessive vaginal bleeding, a surgical procedure may be needed to terminate the pregnancy. FEVER If you have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher for more than 4 hours in the days following the abortion, seek medical attention right away. Fever can be a symptom of a serious infection or other complication. INFECTION Infection can occur as a result of an incomplete abortion. Severe stomach pain, fever, pelvic tenderness, weakness, nausea, an abnormally fast heartbeat, and other symptoms can indicate an infection, and you should seek medical care immediately if these symptoms persist. SEPTIC SHOCK Septic Shock is a medical emergency. If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek medical help right away: Very high or very low body temperature Heavy bleeding Severe pain Cool, pale arms and legs Feelings of confusion, restlessness, and fatigue Shaking with chills Low blood pressure, especially when standing Inability to urinate Rapid, pounding heart rate Difficult, rapid breathing with shortness of breath

What Are the Side Effects of the Abortion Pill?

January 7, 2021

Between parenting, adoption, and abortion, the decision can be challenging. There are several factors that should be considered.

It’s important to take the time you need to gather all of the information available before making such an impactful choice for your life. If you found this blog, you likely have questions about the abortion pill.

What is the abortion pill?

The abortion pill, also known as a medication abortion, is a chemical process of ending a pregnancy. The abortion “pill” is actually two separate pills and can typically be taken within the first ten weeks of pregnancy.

The drug Mifepristone is administered first to stop the body’s production of the hormone progesterone, which provides the pregnancy the nutrients it needs to grow.

Next, Misoprostol, the second pill, is taken to begin contractions and force the pregnancy from the womb.

What will completing the abortion be like?

The two pills are taken between 24-48 hours apart and the abortion is typically completed at home. The process of expelling a pregnancy by abortion is similar to that of a miscarriage.

One should expect to experience intense cramping, heavy bleeding, and the passing of large blood clots that contain the pregnancy tissue. These blood clots can be as large as a golf ball.

What are the side effects of the abortion pill?

Women who choose to undergo a medication abortion may experience some or all of the following physical side effects:

Cramping and abdominal pain
Heavy bleeding
Diarrhea
Nausea
Vomiting
Headaches

What are the long-term risks associated with the abortion pill?

Before deciding to have an abortion, you should take time to educate yourself on the various long-term risks some women have experienced.

Although rare, some of these potential long-term or serious risks include the following:

Life-threatening infections and hemorrhaging caused by an incomplete abortion
Trauma from the abortion experience, which can trigger mental health issues like depression and anxiety1
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) caused by abortion and untreated Chlamydia2
Future fertility issues related to abortion complications3

What should I do before scheduling an abortion?

Before scheduling an appointment for an abortion, it is important to confirm a viable pregnancy and to understand how far along the pregnancy is.

Here at Open Arms, we provide no-cost pregnancy confirmation and information regarding all of your options.

If a viable pregnancy is confirmed, our caring medical staff will walk you through the options available to you and help you navigate this important decision. You’re not alone. We are here to help.

Broen AN, Moum T, Bødtker AS, Ekeberg O. The course of mental health after miscarriage and induced abortion: a longitudinal, fiveyear follow-up study. BMC Med. 2005;3:18.
Westergaard L, Phillipsen T, Scheibel J (1982). “Significance of cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection in postabortal pelvic inflammatory disease.” Obstetrics and Gynecology, 68(5): 668-90; Ovigstad E, et al. (1983). “Pelvic inflammatory disease associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection after therapeutic abortion.” Br J Vener Dis, 59: 189-92; Heisterberg L, et al. (1987). “The role of vaginal secretory immunoglobulin a, gardnerella vaginalis, anaerobes, and Chlamydia trachomatis in post abortal pelvic inflammatory disease.” Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 66(2): 99-102.
Bhattacharya, S. et al. Reproductive outcomes following induced abortion: a national register-based cohort study in Scotland. BMJ Open. 2, (2012).

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Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic offers free counseling regarding your decisions but does not refer for or perform abortions.

The staff was very friendly and informative with the information that they give. I didn’t feel at all judged but that they truly wanted to help me. Thank you!

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