Abortion Pills - What to Know Beforehand

‍Abortion Pills - What to Know Beforehand

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Twentyeight now offers abortion pills in California and New York. In addition to the information below, a medical professional is available to provide instructions and answer questions throughout the process. If you live in California or New York and want to access these services, click here. Abortion is a personal choice, and only you can decide if it’s the right decision for you. This guide (in English / in Spanish) is a great resource to help you reflect and determine which option will be the best fit for you.

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What are abortion pills?

There are two types of abortion pills used in combination with each other to end a pregnancy. Mifepristone is an oral medication used to stop the pregnancy from growing by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is a hormone that is needed to continue a pregnancy. Misoprostol is the second medication taken that induces an abortion. When used in combination with mifepristone, it’s approximately 95-99% effective in ending a pregnancy in the first trimester. 

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Are there different kinds of abortion options? 

In addition to abortion pills, there is also a medical procedure to end a pregnancy which involves tools that empty the uterus and remove the pregnancy. The options that are available to you will depend on which state you live in and how far along the pregnancy is. Twentyeight Health is able to support individuals up to 10 weeks of pregnancy who meet medical eligibility. 

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Is it legal to get an abortion in my state? 

Twentyeight Health only offers abortion pills in California and New York. If you live in one of these two states, it’s legal for you to get abortion pills. Abortion has not been banned nationwide, but it may not be legal in your specific state. The policies state-by-state continue to change, and the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) provides a regularly updated summary (we are unable to provide details on each state within this article due to frequent legal changes state-by-state). 

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How effective are abortion pills?

Abortion pills are extremely effective in ending a pregnancy, working approximately 95-99% of the time. With that said, if the abortion pill does not work, it is important to understand that misoprostol can result in birth defects, and your doctor will recommend that you have a procedure to evacuate the pregnancy from your uterus. 

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Are abortion pills safe?

Abortion pills are very safe. They are approved by the FDA, supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and do not require the presence of a doctor. This is referred to as a self-managed abortion and is widely used by people around the world. Abortion pills do not have an adverse effect on future fertility or future pregnancy outcomes. Risks include heavy bleeding, retained products of conception, or undetected ectopic pregnancy, which will require a medical or surgical procedure.  

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What is Rh factor? 

Rh factor is a protein some people have in their blood and if you do have it, you would be considered Rh-positive. Whether you’re Rh-positive or Rh-negative stays the same for your entire life and can be confirmed by knowing your blood type (A+/-, B+/-, AB+/- O+/-). This is important information to know for an abortion because if you’re Rh-negative and have vaginal bleeding, it’s possible to develop Rh antibodies, which can cause issues with future pregnancies. The risk is very low for early pregnancies (less than 10 weeks), but you always have the option of getting tested and talking to a medical professional if you have additional questions. 

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What is the difference between abortion pills and emergency contraceptive pills? 

Oral emergency contraceptives are commonly known as the “morning after pill” or by one of the brand names, Plan B. The morning after pill does not affect a current pregnancy and cannot be used as an abortion pill to terminate pregnancy. It only prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation and preventing fertilization of the egg. For more information about the morning after pill, click here. 

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Looking for more personalized info? Message a doctor through Twentyeight to get medical advice based on your needs.