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3 Things to Know if You Are Considering Mail-Order Abortion

The choices you are forced to make when you realize you have an unexpected pregnancy can be difficult to navigate. Some women choose to terminate their pregnancy with mail-order abortion pills, but this is not generally a safe option. Before choosing mail-order abortion, protect your health by understanding the safety measures that are often overlooked when obtaining these drugs by mail.

1. You Should Have an Ultrasound for Your Safety

While an ultrasound might seem like an unnecessary step if you have chosen abortion, it is a critical step in protecting your health. Ultrasound provides critical details about the pregnancy.

Viability: Does the pregnancy have a heartbeat? Around 20% of pregnancies end in natural miscarriages. Determining if a pregnancy is viable can keep a woman from experiencing an unnecessary procedure, since most miscarriages do not require intervention.

Date: The drugs used in mail-order abortions are only FDA-approved for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. An ultrasound will establish how far along the pregnancy is so a woman and her provider can decide if mail-order abortion is safe.

Location: Some embryos implant outside of the uterus in a condition called ectopic pregnancy. This can be a life-threatening condition, and an immediate diagnosis is needed to protect a woman’s health since the drugs used in a medical abortion do not treat ectopic pregnancies.

2. Some Women Are Ineligible for the Abortion Pill

An in-person physical examination by a medical professional is recommended before using abortion drugs so a provider can determine if a woman is eligible. In a mail-order abortion, this step is avoided. Examples of situations that cause a woman to be ineligible for these drugs can include:

• Are too far along in the pregnancy

• Have a pregnancy outside of the uterus (ectopic pregnancy)

• Have a blood clotting disorder or significant anemia

• Have chronic adrenal failure

• Use long-term corticosteroids

• Have an intrauterine device (IUD)

• Have an allergy to the medications in the abortion pill

• Do not have access to emergency care

• Can’t return for a follow-up visit

In a pre-abortion assessment, a provider will take a complete medical history to determine if any of these affect a woman’s eligibility for an abortion.

3. Signs and Symptoms of Complications

A woman choosing a medical abortion will need to monitor herself for signs and symptoms of complications following a mail-order abortion since a provider will not be monitoring her. Signs and symptoms of complications can include the following:

• Heavy bleeding — soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours

• Severe abdominal or back pain

• Fever lasting more than 24 hours

• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge

A woman choosing to obtain a mail-order abortion should know ahead of time whom she will contact if she experiences any of these signs or symptoms.

Get More Info

If you are considering a mail-order abortion, contact us to make an appointment with Metro Women’s Care. We offer no-cost ultrasounds to protect your health and can provide you with information regarding your pregnancy outcome options, including abortion.