Medical practices are transforming before our very eyes. With online pharmacies, we can now purchase prescription medications through the mail and have them shipped to our doors, including the abortion pill.
Online medications can carry increased risks and, as with any medication purchased online, it is essential to be aware of the risks to protect your health and overall well-being.
What Is the Abortion Pill?
Also known as a medical abortion, the abortion pill consists of two drugs: Mifepristone and Misoprostol.
The first drug, Mifepristone, works to block the hormone progesterone. By blocking progesterone, the uterine wall thins, leading the embryo to detach from the uterus and terminate the pregnancy.
Misoprostol is taken next and causes uterine cramping and contractions to expel the embryo from the body through the vagina.
The abortion pill is only FDA-approved through the first ten weeks of pregnancy. If taken beyond this point in pregnancy, the abortion pill can pose other health complications aside from the side effects that are possible during the 10-week window.
Risks of Ordering the Abortion Pill Online
Skipping Pre-Abortion Screening
If you don’t know the gestational age of your pregnancy before taking the abortion pill, you can risk taking it after the ten-week cutoff (per the FDA). Not knowing how far along you are can lead to severe and life-threatening health risks.
It is possible to have an incomplete abortion. An infection is possible if fetal tissue remains in your body, requiring further medical treatment and possibly surgery.
An ultrasound is crucial to help determine the gestational age and the pregnancy’s location (to ensure that it is not ectopic). At our Center, we can provide an estimate of how far along you are based on the first day of your last period. An OB will be able to provide exact measurements. We can, however, confirm that the pregnancy is progressing (indicated by fetal heartbeat) and that it is located in the uterus.
Medication Quality
When anyone orders medication online, including the abortion pill, it carries the added risk of not knowing what you’re getting. It is imperative to ensure that the FDA has approved whatever medications are purchased online.
Some online sellers may offer medications that have not yet passed the FDA’s standard testing and approval process. Discuss all medicines you take or plan to take with a trusted medical provider.
General Risks of the Abortion Pill
Just like other medications, the abortion pill has potential risks. It is essential to know that serious risks such as sepsis, incomplete abortion, and pelvic inflammatory disease are possible by taking the abortion pill.
With the possibility of infection from an incomplete abortion, sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition, can result. Sepsis occurs when the body fights an infection and damages tissues.
Sepsis can develop into septic shock, severely increasing the risk of death.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is when bacteria from STIs travel to the uterus, resulting in infection within the reproductive system. Some women do not have symptoms, and if left untreated, PID can cause infertility in the future.
What’s Next?
Unplanned pregnancies can be scary, but they don’t have to be. The most important thing is for you to protect your health. Contact Us today for free and confidential pregnancy services. Our Center does not perform or refer for abortions, but we are able to provide medical-grade pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, and options counseling.
Even if you are thinking about the abortion pill, it is vital to confirm the pregnancy, receive an estimate of how far along you are, and confirm that the pregnancy is located in the uterus through an ultrasound. Our Center can be the first step to give you the clarity you need.