All abortions, whether performed in a clinic, hospital, or at home, have the potential for physical and emotional complications. You may feel that ordering the abortion drugs online provides privacy and convenience, but it also means you have no direct medical oversight.
One of our team members can confirm your pregnancy and give you the information you need. Schedule a free and confidential appointment with an Ohana Health client advocate today.
The FDA does not recommend ordering mifepristone (the first drug in the abortion regimen) online. Get the facts about your pregnancy and the abortion drugs before you order them.
In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the reasons why an at-home abortion might be unsafe and the potential risks.
What Is an At-Home Abortion?
An online or at-home abortion is also known as a medical abortion. You may have heard it called the abortion pill method. The process involves taking two drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol) over a 24 to 48-hour period to terminate a pregnancy.
The FDA highly regulates mifepristone. Only certified healthcare providers can prescribe it. You could miss essential safeguards when you buy abortion drugs online.
Many online suppliers are from foreign countries. They may sell the drugs without proper oversight, which could mean the wrong ingredients and incorrect dosages.
Have You Confirmed Your Pregnancy?
Believe it or not, a late period and a positive pregnancy test may not be enough information to determine if an at-home abortion is safe for you. There are certain limitations you should be aware of.
To get the information you need, you should have a limited obstetrical ultrasound. Here’s why:
1. You may not be pregnant.
Experts suggest that 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in a miscarriage, but the number could be as high as 30%. Because it takes days or even weeks for a woman’s body to return to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, you could get a positive pregnancy test, but no longer be pregnant. Ultrasound verifies if your pregnancy is developing or if you have miscarried.
2. You may have an ectopic pregnancy.
A normal pregnancy develops in a woman’s uterus. When a pregnancy is ectopic, it means it is growing somewhere outside the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy, although rare, will not end with abortion drugs, and it can actually be life-threatening. An ultrasound verifies the location of your pregnancy.
3. You need to know the exact date you got pregnant.
Some women use period tracker apps to predict when their period starts. However, they’re not as reliable as some think. Knowing how long you have been pregnant is vital if you’re considering the abortion pill method. The FDA approves the use of the drugs only through 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Get a Free and Confidential Limited Ultrasound at Ohana
You may think an ultrasound is a waste of time if you’re considering an at-home or online abortion, but an ultrasound provides the safety you need beforehand. Don’t skip this critical step.
At Ohana Health, your safety, privacy, and peace of mind matter. Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we’ll provide the information you need to make a confident decision.
Schedule a free and confidential pregnancy test at Ohana. If your test is positive, we’ll schedule you for an ultrasound. You deserve the facts. Make an appointment today.
Ohana Health does not perform or refer for abortion.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
