If you are facing an unexpected pregnancy, taking the abortion pill at home may feel like the simplest and most private option.
The pill is available by mail, but an at-home abortion comes with significant risks and often bypasses the safeguards put in place to protect your health.
Before you order anything, here is what taking the abortion pill at home can put at stake and the steps that should come first. You can also contact Chester County Connect Care for a free pre-abortion screening. We’re here to help you get the information you need.
FDA Warning
The FDA warns women against buying the abortion pill online because doing so bypasses standards designed to protect your health.
Drugs sold this way are not FDA-approved, so there is no way to confirm their quality, dosage, or effectiveness. When you take a pill from an unverified source, what you are putting into your body and how it will affect you is unclear.
The Importance of an Ultrasound Scan
Being pregnant does not automatically mean you qualify for the abortion pill.
An ultrasound confirms two details that directly affect your safety: how far along you are and where the pregnancy is located.
The FDA authorizes the abortion pill only through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, and using it after that point raises your risk of serious complications such as incomplete abortion. Dating a pregnancy by your last period is often off by a week or more, so an ultrasound is the only way to know for certain.
An ultrasound also confirms that the pregnancy is growing inside the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy, which implants outside the uterus, cannot be ended by the abortion pill and requires emergency care.
Why Meet with a Healthcare Provider?
Certain preexisting health conditions and medications can make you ineligible for the abortion pill or increase your risk of complications. Your doctor can review your personal health history before you decide about your pregnancy.
Ordering the pill online skips that conversation, and you may take on risks without knowing they exist.
If a complication does arise at home, you may also be unaware of warning signs like severe bleeding or pain because you have not received proper medical oversight.
Get Help Today
You do not have to sort through this decision on your own.
Chester County Connect Care offers no-cost, lab-quality pregnancy testing, l ultrasounds performed by our trained staff nurses, and confidential options consultations.
Our team can confirm the details of your pregnancy, talk through the specific risks of abortion, and discuss your options.
Contact us today to schedule your free and confidential appointment.
Chester County Connect Care does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.