More about Abortion Pills

Abortion is a topic which is not discussed freely in public, given the taboo it represents. There is a strong ethical divide world over about abortion. In India, as per the Medical Termination act of Pregnancy, the legal limit for abortion is 20 weeks. The act prescribes that a decision be taken of good faith before attempting to abort the fetus. Though legal, it still faces stigma and the common public finds it hard to find enough resources about it.

There are generally two main ways of abortion, via pills or through surgery. In this article, we are going to talk about abortion pills which are widely preferred to stop gestation.

First things first, abortion pills are a safe and legal way to prevent pregnancy. It is also one of the most widely used Contraceptive methods as there is no complicated surgical procedures involved, but it isn’t painless either. Before venturing into taking the pill, it is binding to meet up with the medical staff and take a decision on your options. It is also mandatory to get an ultrasound to see how deep your pregnancy is.

Studies have shown that abortion pills are only efficient when your pregnancy is less than 12 weeks and you need to consult a doctor to take the pill after that to avoid “grave infections, incomplete abortion and in some cases even infertility”.

How abortion pills work?

You take two pills to abort a pregnancy. Let us call it Pill-A and Pill-B (Yes, we are not going to give you the name of the pills as you need to take these pills under the guidance of a medical professional). At first, you consume Pill-A which works by blocking the hormone progesterone and hinders the development of your pregnancy. The second pill, Pill-B is to be taken 1-2 days after the consumption of the first pill. It empties the uterus and is responsible for the cramping.The bleeding can last for several hours. The abortion process is like early miscarriage with heavy cramps. Make sure you have someone at home to cater to your needs. Medical professionals say that when the sac comes out of your body, you will know. An ultrasound is also needed after a week to make sure the pregnancy is terminated and your body is back to its normal healthy state.

How effective are those pills and when to take them?

Abortion pills are very efficient in what they do. Below 8 weeks, it works 98% and above 9 weeks, the efficiency is slightly down by 93%. If abortion pills are not successful in their objective, an in-clinic abortion may be required. But that is very rarely needed as these pills have a very high success rate.

Abortion pills are to be taken 12 weeks before pregnancy after a vaginal ultrasound that determines the age of fetus. Please consult your doctor regarding all your queries.  

Side-effects of Taking abortion pills:

• Persistent bleeding with clots
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Mild fever on the day you take Pill-B

How to reduce those effects?

• Pain medication will be prescribed by your physician to diminish the effects.
• Put a hot water bottle in your stomach.
• Ask a friend or a close family member to rub your back.

What to do if abortion pill doesn’t work?

There is fair chance that the pills don’t work. The complications may include blood clots in your uterus, high fever, heavy bleeding for more than 2 hours in a row. You need to meet up with the medical professional (doctor) immediately under such circumstances. Your doctor might discuss further options with you. Just do not panic.

How to get abortion pills in India?

It is obligatory to have a doctor’s prescription to get the pills in medical shops due to the serious female foeticide problem. Abortion pills are strictly regulated and controlled in all medical shops and selective sex abortion is illegal and punishable by law.

Why we need more awareness about Abortion pills?

Abortion is a very sensitive topic. There are groups that argue that abortion is killing and hence it is unethical. The fact that human embryos can move and they have emotions in early weeks have added to the argument that abortion should be banned. On the other side of the divide are the proponents who argue that a woman has the right to decide whether or not to continue the pregnancy. Both sides of the argument will continue as long as human race will be existing. But the point here is, individually we need to decide if abortion is okay to be done or not. So we leave the decision with you.

Rather than looking out for abortion pills, a better option would be to use condoms and other contraceptive methods. Why get pregnant in the first place?