If you are pregnant you currently have the legal option of abortion. You deserve to know how abortions are performed and the risks they pose to your health. As you can see in the live ultrasound below, this 11 week old baby is very much alive.
The Abortion Pill
Before taking RU-486, or Abortion Pill, you should understand what it is, what it could mean to your health and how it works. Call for an appointment at 951-699-9808 Ext 0 and one of our staff will be happy to discuss it with you, confirm if you’re pregnant and advise you on your options.
What is it?
RU-486, also known as “the abortion pill,” is actually a combination of two drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol — that cause an early abortion. This drug is approved for use in women up to 49 days (7 week) from their last menstrual period; however it is commonly used “off label” for up to 63 days (9 weeks).
How does it work?
The first pill, mifepristone, is taken orally and blocks the hormone progesterone needed to maintain the pregnancy. The second pill, misoprostol, is taken up to 3 days after taking the first abortion pill. This second pill will cause you to have cramps and to bleed.
Things to Consider
An RU-486 abortion requires 3 visits to a health care provider.
- Most medical abortions using mifepristone are completed within 2 weeks, but some can take up to 3 or even 4 weeks.
- Side effects include heavy bleeding, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and cramping.
- If this method fails, a surgical abortion will be required.
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Issue Update: Mifepristone: An Early Abortion Option,” July 2001.
Mifeprex® Medication Guide, www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/
Morning-After Pill
Before taking the Morning-After Pill, you should understand what it is, what it could mean to your health and how it works. Call for an appointment and one of our staff will be happy to discuss it with you, confirm if you’re pregnant and advise you on your options.
What is it?
The “morning after pill” is a large dose of oral contraceptive. Plan B One Step is taken as a single-dose tablet, while a two dose generic form is taken with 72 within hours of intercourse and the second dose 12 hours later. The “morning-after pill” is NOT the same as RU-486.
How does it work?
Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In addition, it may inhibit implantation. It is not effective once the process of implantation has begun.
Things to consider
- Emergency contraception is not effective if a woman is already pregnant.
- Plan B does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
- The most common side effects in the Plan B clinical trial were nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, and menstrual changes.
- The manufacturer warns that Plan B is not recommended for routine use as a contraceptive.
Source: Manufacturer’s Prescribing Information for Plan B (Levonorgestrel) tablets, 0.75 mg. Mfg. by Gedeon Richter, Ltd., Budapest, Hungary for Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pomona, NY 10970. Revised Feb 2004. BR-038 / 21000382503
How Abortions are Done
Suction Aspiration: After dilating the cervix which is the donut shaped organ at the entrance of the uterus, a hollow plastic tube with a knife-like edge is inserted into the uterus. The abortionist then cuts and scrapes the uterus and the baby is removed by a suction machine attached to the plastic tube. Great care must be taken to prevent the uterus from being perforated or torn.
Dilation and curettage or D & C: This is similar to the suction aspiration method except that a curette (loop-shaped steel knife) is used instead of a plastic tube. The baby is scraped out instead of sucked out.
Dilation and evacuation or D & E: The same as a dilation and curettage but done after 12 weeks. Parts of the baby are dismembered and pulled out by a forceps. The baby’s head must be crushed in order to pass through the cervix.
The final step of the above methods just mentioned is for the nurse to reassemble the parts of the baby’s body on a table to make sure that all of the “products of conception” have been removed. If any baby body parts or fragments of the placenta are left inside the woman, she is likely to develop a serious infection.
Prostaglandin: These are drugs which produce labor and delivery at whatever stage of pregnancy they are administered. The mother gives birth to a baby who is so premature he or she cannot survive. Occasionally when this method is used a baby is aborted alive. And when an abortion produces a live baby, it is called a complication.
Mifepristone (formerly RU-486) sometimes called The Abortion Pill: First a steroid drug is taken orally which either destroys the baby’s placenta or prevents it from being formed. Then a prostaglandin drug is taken to induce the uterus to contract and vaginally deliver the baby, who is much too young to survive.
Salt Poisoning or Saline Abortion: A concentrated salt solution is injected into the amniotic fluid through the mother’s abdominal wall. It takes about an hour for the baby to die after his skin has been chemically burned and after swallowing and breathing the salt solution. The mother delivers a dead or dying baby about 24 hours later.
Hysterotomy: This is a late term procedure. The mother’s abdomen is surgically opened as in a Caesarian section. The baby is lifted out, placed in a surgical bucket and allowed to die.
What About A Safe Abortion?
Is there any such thing? Obviously it certainly isn’t safe for the baby, and it invades the mother’s body by forcing open the cervix long before it is ready. This can be very painful. Sometimes the cervix is permanently damaged, making it difficult or impossible for the woman to carry a future baby to term. The sharp instruments that are used can perforate the uterus resulting in hemorrhaging, infection, scarring, damage to surrounding organs and sterility. Some women have aborted the only baby they will ever be able to bear. Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, especially when a first pregnancy is aborted. Even in women who have no apparent physical damage from abortion there is a high incidence of depression, low self-worth, self doubt, guilt, nightmares, trouble in relationships and even suicidal thoughts.
If circumstances are making your pregnancy difficult, call Birth Choice and let us relieve and support you. You are not alone. There are many people who care about you and your baby who are willing to stand with you and help you find the courage and resources to give your baby life. All our services are free.
Here are some of the ways we can help:
- Pregnancy tests
- Counseling with trained, lay counselors
- Assistance in applying for Medi-Cal or AIM
- Maternity and baby clothes formula and diapers
- Support groups
- Host homes for clients needing housing
- Adoption referrals and counseling
- Medical, financial and legal referrals
After the Abortion
The memory of an abortion never goes away. You live with it for the rest of your life. But there is hope. If you are dealing with the pain of a past abortion, Birth Choice highly recommends two outstanding post-abortion recovery programs in the Temecula/Murrieta area:
- Rachel’s Vineyard, 951-325-7702. Visit their website at rachelsvineyard.org.
- BirthChoice of Temecula 951-699-9808.
- Post Abortion Healing-Peace Restored
