The abortion pill is the common name for medical abortion. While it may be an option for some women, for others, it might not be an option due to medical reasons.
Read on to learn what you need to know to determine your abortion pill eligibility.
1. Your Pregnancy’s Gestational Age
Your pregnancy’s gestational age (how long you have been pregnant) matters when considering the abortion pill. The FDA has only approved the abortion pill through the first ten weeks of pregnancy. After that, another form of abortion might be considered safer.
2. Having an Intrauterine Device (IUD) in Place
If you have an IUD currently in place as a contraceptive, a medical professional may advise removing it before considering the abortion pill.
Also, if you become pregnant with an IUD, a doctor may remove it to reduce the chances of miscarriage or other problems.
3. Experiencing a Miscarriage
If you’ve already miscarried, your pregnancy ended on its own, and an abortion would not make a difference.
If an ultrasound detects a miscarriage, which occurs in about 10-20% of known pregnancies before 20 weeks, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor to ensure no other treatment is necessary.
4. Your Pregnancy’s Location
If the embryo implants outside of the uterus (typically in a fallopian tube), this is considered an ectopic pregnancy. It is a non-viable pregnancy that requires immediate treatment, as it can lead to life-threatening bleeding.
The only way to know if your pregnancy is ectopic is with an ultrasound. An abortion will not treat the ectopic pregnancy, which is why it’s essential to have an ultrasound before proceeding with the abortion pill.
5. Other Health Conditions or Allergies
Certain health conditions, such as a bleeding disorder, could make you ineligible for the abortion pill.
Also, being allergic to the drugs mifepristone, misoprostol, or another abortion drug (sometimes methotrexate is used) will make you ineligible for the abortion pill.
6. Prescriptions and Drug Interactions
If you are taking a variety of drugs or medications right now, you would want to run those by your doctor or pharmacist first before taking the abortion pill. For instance, a blood thinner is not a good combination with the abortion pill, which triggers cramping and bleeding.
Some drugs do interact (mifepristone interactions) and shouldn’t be taken together.
What Now?
If you’re pregnant and haven’t received an ultrasound yet, we can’t recommend this step more. It will screen for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage and identify your pregnancy’s gestational age.
Schedule a free appointment at Relevant Pregnancy Options Center today. Find a time that works best for you and schedule your appointment conveniently online. We can help.