Deciding which abortion method would be a good choice for you can be difficult.
The situation itself of going through an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy can make the whole process challenging.
Gaining proper access to safe abortion care is the right of every woman and she should be educated about the different options available to her.
Both abortion methods – surgical and medical are safe, excellent methods and any woman can look forward to getting her pregnancy terminated after talking about these options with her doctor.
While some women may feel comfortable getting a medical abortion as it can be done in the comfort of their homes, others may feel convenient to get a surgical abortion done instead.
Surgical abortion hardly takes only 10-15 minutes and women prefer this as they can return back to regular activities after 1 day.
There are several questions that a woman has regarding both procedures and all of her doubts should be cleared before she makes up this vital decision.
The decision shouldn’t be enforced and she should have the right to choose what’s best for her.
Surgical Abortion – What Should You Know About it?
The best part of surgical abortion is that it hardly takes 10-15 minutes to perform the surgery.
And the person can return back to her regular activities after 24 hours.
It is one of the most preferred methods of abortion that can be performed in both first and second-trimester pregnancies.
This procedure involves the use of gentle suction to empty the uterus. The doctor first applies anaesthesia to your cervix and performs a pelvic exam to determine the exact position of your uterus.
This is done by inserting two fingers in the vagina and putting one hand on the lower abdomen. By gently pressing on the abdomen, the size and position of the uterus can be determined.
A speculum is placed inside the vagina to keep the vaginal walls apart.
Several narrow rods known as dilators are inserted into the cervix to open it.
A suction tube is placed into the uterus to remove the pregnancy tissue from it. Suction can either be created by an electric machine or with the help of a syringe.
Dr. William Henderson, a physician and health consultant at Hisblue says that abortion should be sought as soon as the pregnancy is diagnosed.
As the pregnancy advances, the process of abortion becomes complex and there could be a risk of complications.
By all means, women should be given necessary post-abortion care to help them cope up with emotional trauma.
Surgical abortion when performed in the second trimester can be a bit time-consuming and more complex.
The cervix needs to be dilated more than what is done in the first trimester. For cervical dilation or ripening, medication such as Misoprostol may be used or the cervix may be dilated overnight with laminaria.
The number of laminaria inserted depends upon the length of the pregnancy and the physician performing the surgery.
Ensuring the cervix is properly dilated is vital to complete the abortion procedure.
Medical Abortion – How effective is it?
Medical abortion or medication abortion is performed when the pregnancy is in its first trimester.
It is available to women up to 10 weeks (70 days of gestation) of pregnancy.
However, this varies from clinic to clinic depending upon their laws.
Medical abortion involves the use of an abortion kit that consists of two medications, namely Mifepristone and Misoprostol.
A single tablet of Mifepristone 200 mg is needed to block the effects of progesterone and stop the pregnancy from growing.
It causes uterine contractions which allow the pregnancy to detach itself from the uterine wall.
The second medication i.e. Misoprostol 200 mcg is taken either orally or vaginally.
For oral administration, the four pills of Misoprostol are required to be placed between the cheeks and gums for 20-30 minutes.
The remaining contents should be then swallowed with water.
Vaginal administration is often not advised. However, if such is the case, you may need to place the four pills at the farthest point inside the vagina and allow the bleeding to start.
Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and opens the cervix slightly so that the pregnancy can be expelled out.
You may experience heavy bleeding and cramping during this process.
The flow would be heavier than what you normally experience during your menstrual period.
Misoprostol is intended to be taken 24-48 hours after the consumption of Mifepristone.
While medical abortion allows privacy and can be done in the comfort of one’s home, it isn’t a suitable option for everyone.
If you have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners or corticosteroids, your doctor may suggest surgical abortion instead.
Both surgical and medical abortion come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
However, both procedures are safe and convenient.
They do not affect fertility or future pregnancies in any way.
Taking into account your medical history and circumstances.
The decision of having a surgical or medical abortion is completely up to you.
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