Abortion Information and Facts
What is Abortion?
No article on abortion information would be complete without a definition. According to the CDC, “legal induced abortion” is “an intervention performed by a licensed clinician…that is intended to terminate an ongoing pregnancy.” That said, there are several types of possible abortions. While there are different ways to break these types down, we’ll simplify it here.
Miscarriage
Miscarriage can be defined as “a pregnancy that ends on its own, within the first 20 weeks of gestation.” This is the most common form of pregnancy loss, with 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies ending in miscarriage. This usually occurs during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. Miscarriage, while known as “spontaneous abortion,” is not what we mean when we say “abortion.” It is not a procedure by a healthcare provider. It is different from the other information about medical abortions covered here.
What is the Abortion Pill?
Is it the same as Plan B? How much does it cost? Is it safe?
Great questions! The abortion pill is not the same as Plan B, also known as the Morning After Pill. The Morning After Pill, or levonorgestrel, is a form of emergency contraception. Plan B prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg), thus preventing conception (the joining of sperm and egg.) If conception and implantation have already taken place, Plan B won’t end an existing pregnancy.
Back to the abortion pill.
Over 50% of abortions are medical abortions with the abortion pill. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 54% of US abortions in 2020 were medication abortions.
Medical abortion is actually two prescription pills, mifepristone and misoprostol. Cost can vary from state to state with different insurance, but is in the ballpark of $500. As with any medication, you should be fully informed of possible side effects. You can’t give informed consent for your reproductive health decisions unless you know the risks, benefits, and alternatives of your choices.
Let’s start with general abortion pill benefits.
You won’t be pregnant anymore unless the pills don’t work. That leads us to some of the abortion pill risks: