Abortion Education continued
Methods of Abortion
Abortion Pill and Mifepristone:
Approx. 4 to 7 weeks after LMP
This drug is only approved for women up to the 49th day after their last
menstrual period. The procedure usually requires three office visits. On
the first visit, the woman is given pills to cause the death of the
embryo. Two days later, if the abortion has not occurred, she is given a
second drug which causes cramps to expel the embryo. The last visit is
to determine if the procedure has been completed. The abortion
pill will not work in the case of an ectopic pregnancy.
Women are being instructed to use the abortion pills in a manner not approved by the FDA. This includes using it beyond 49 days of pregnancy and using it vaginally. A number of women who have used the abortion pill have died due to sepsis (full body infection).
Manual Vacuum Aspiration: Approx. seven weeks after last menstrual period (LMP)
This surgical abortion is done early in the pregnancy, up until seven weeks after the woman's last menstrual period. A long, thin tube is inserted into the uterus. A large syringe is attached to the tube and the embryo is suctioned out.
Suction Curettage: Approx. 6 to 14 weeks after LMP
This is the most common surgical abortion procedure. Because the fetus is larger, the doctor must first stretch open the cervix using metal rods. Opening the cervix may be painful, so local or general anesthesia is typically needed. After the cervix is stretched open, the doctor inserts a hard plastic tube into the uterus, and then connects this tube to a suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus’ body apart and out of the uterus. The doctor may also use a loop-shaped knife called a curette to scrape the fetus and fetal parts out of the uterus. (The doctor may refer to the fetus and fetal parts as the “products of conception”)
