If you have an unexpected pregnancy and are considering mail-order abortion, understanding this option is imperative. Abortion has inherent side effects and risks, and you could risk having complications if you choose to receive abortion drugs in the mail.
Crossroads Life Center is dedicated to helping you understand your options. We don’t provide or refer for abortions, but we do offer accurate information on all procedures.
Continue reading to learn about mail-order abortion.
1. Mail-Order Abortion is Unregulated
Receiving abortion medications from a doctor’s office or clinic requires medical oversight. When you purchase these medications online, you may have a single telehealth appointment, and they are shipped to your address.
The medications can come from unregulated, overseas pharmacies. You could receive improper dosages, instructions, or even medications. And you may not realize the mistake until you’ve begun the process.
2. There is a Lack of Screening and Follow-Up Care
If you are considering abortion, you should confirm your pregnancy with a lab-quality pregnancy test. Following confirmation of a positive result, an obstetric ultrasound is vital. This scan verifies key details like viability, gestational age, and location.
You need this pregnancy information to clarify your options, as medical or “mail-order” abortion is only FDA-approved through ten weeks gestation. Moreover, an ultrasound can determine whether you have had a miscarriage or are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.
A miscarriage can require treatment, and an ectopic pregnancy always requires medical care. In both instances, abortion isn’t an option or a treatment method.
If you pursue mail-order abortion, you won’t receive the appropriate medical screening or follow-up care.
3. You May Not Meet Eligibility Requirements
During a medical abortion, two medications terminate the pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, and misoprostol causes uterine contractions and expels the pregnancy tissue.
If you obtain these medications through the mail, know that you may be ineligible for the procedure and could risk developing complications.
Ineligibility factors include:
- Being further along than ten weeks gestation
- Having an IUD (intrauterine device)
- Having an allergy to the medications used
- Having certain medical conditions (i.e., uncontrolled seizure disorder, bleeding disorder, or heart disease)
- Taking a blood thinner or certain steroid medications
- Having a suspected ectopic pregnancy
- Being unable to make follow-up visits
Taking any medication when you shouldn’t can jeopardize your health. If you don’t know the risks of medical abortion, you cannot make an informed decision and may be unaware of the signs of complications.
Risks of medical abortion include:
- Fever
- Infection
- Digestive system discomfort
- Heavy, prolonged bleeding
- Incomplete abortion (which may require surgical treatment)
- An ongoing pregnancy (if the medications don’t work)
We’re Here For You
Crossroads Life Center provides no-cost, confidential services like self-administered, lab-quality pregnancy tests and ultrasound referrals. We’re here for you during an unexpected pregnancy.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment at one of our two locations.