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A Medical Abortion refers to the RU-486 pill, otherwise known as The Abortion Pill. This can be given if someone is up to 10 weeks along in their pregnancy, from the first day of their last menstrual period. A Surgical Abortion refers to an in-clinic procedure that can be done through all 40 weeks of pregnancy.

In the state of Arizona, women are required to have an appointment with the Abortion Provider 24 hours prior to the Abortion procedure or the Abortion pill. An Ultrasound will be performed to determine how far along in the pregnancy you are.  The provider should offer the option to view the ultrasound, and allow the woman to hear the heartbeat of the baby.  Hands of Hope offers FREE ultrasounds to confirm a viable pregnancy, and to walk with you through your pregnancy decision.

Nausea, vomiting, weakness, fever, chills, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache, can all occur when taking the abortion pill.  Severe side effects include hemorrhage and the need for dilation and curettage (D&C) can occur with both the medical and surgical abortion.  D&C is a surgical procedure requiring anesthesia, where the cervix is dilated and a metal instrument is used to scrape out the inside of the uterus. Infection can occur if tissue is left inside the uterus.

Emergency contraception, also known as Plan B, is a hormone called Levonorgestrel. If Plan B is taken within 24 hours after unprotected sex, it decreases the risk of pregnancy by 95%. Plan B is not the same as RU – 486 (the abortion pill) so it does not cause an abortion.  If the fertilized egg has already implanted in the uterus, pregnancy has already occurred and emergency contraception will not be effective. Plan B is not as effective as regular birth control pills and is not meant to replace it.

You should not take the Abortion Pill if:

• • You are over 10 weeks pregnant 

  • You have an IUD in place 
  • You have an ectopic pregnancy (schedule a free ultrasound to determine your pregnancy is in the uterus)
  • you are taking blood thinners, steroids or allergic to abortion pill medications

Nobody else can tell you how you feel. While not everyone who has an abortion will have adverse effects, there are those who experience physical complications and/or unexpected emotional impact. You may experience emotional effects shortly afterwards or not until many years later. These may include: 

• Feeling sad or depressed about the decision 
• Feeling guilt or regret about the decision 
• Feeling a sense of loss or grief 
• Difficulty getting the experience out of your mind 
• Feeling a need to keep the abortion a secret or believing no one will understand what you are feeling 
• Having unpleasant dreams or nightmares about the experience 

If you are dealing with unexpected emotions after an abortion, you are not alone! Hands of Hope provides confidential and non-judgmental support to help you process through your abortion experience.