What Are the Different Types of Abortion?

August 7, 2024
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We understand the decision concerning abortion is complex and personal. Knowing the different types of abortion procedures is essential for making informed decisions about your health. In this blog, we'll cover the various methods available to help you gather information about your situation. 


Learning about these procedures can help you better protect your health and make the right choice for you.


Medical Abortion

A medical abortion is the process of using drugs to end a pregnancy. Commonly referred to as the “abortion pill,” a medical abortion actually uses two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. 


Mifepristone works by blocking the hormone progesterone. 24-48 hours later, you would then take misoprostol to cause uterine contractions and expel the pregnancy from the vagina.


Medical abortion is only
FDA-approved through ten weeks gestation (how far along you are). These drugs are typically prescribed at a clinic and taken at home.


If you have a medical abortion, you will have vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping. You may also experience fever, chills, headache, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. 


The
risks of medical abortion include:


  • Infection
  • Digestive system discomfort
  • Heavy, prolonged bleeding
  • Fever
  • An ongoing pregnancy (if the procedure fails)
  • An incomplete abortion (which may need to be followed by a surgical abortion) 

Surgical Abortion

A surgical abortion uses a combination of drugs, medical instruments, suction/vacuuming, or forceps to remove a pregnancy from the uterus. 


Surgical abortions are performed in a clinic setting or hospital later in pregnancy. You will likely spend a few hours afterward in a recovery room to check for excessive bleeding and complications.


The
risks of a surgical abortion include:


  • Infection
  • Damage to the cervix
  • Scar tissue on the uterine wall (which can lead to absent, painful periods or future infertility)
  • Perforation of the uterus

Before Seeking An Abortion

It’s crucial to get informed not only about the risks abortion can pose to your health but also detailed information about your pregnancy and status. There are a variety of circumstances where you might not be eligible for an abortion. 


At Collage, we offer free and confidential pregnancy services, such as lab-quality pregnancy testing and limited OB ultrasounds, because we believe you deserve to have access to the information you need to protect your health. 


You’re not alone in this. We’re here for you.
Make an appointment today.

September 7, 2026
Seeing another positive pregnancy test after having had a past abortion may bring up memories or emotions from that experience. If you already know you don’t want another abortion, you may be wondering what other choices you have and whether either feels realistic for your life right now. You have time to learn about your options and the available support. Collage is here to give you a place to discuss your circumstances so you can decide what’s right for you. Schedule a no-cost appointment today to learn more about your pregnancy and what your next steps could look like. And read on to learn more about your pregnancy options besides abortion. Consider What Parenting Would Require You may want to parent but have concerns about whether you can make it work. Finances, housing, childcare, your relationship, work, or school can all influence how possible this option feels right now. Before deciding that those challenges make parenting unrealistic, it can help to identify your biggest concerns individually. Some of those concerns may have solutions you haven’t considered yet. Think about the support you already have, along with what you would need during pregnancy and after your baby arrives. Knowing where the gaps are can make it easier to find resources rather than trying to solve everything at once. Learn More About Adoption If you don’t want another abortion but aren’t ready to parent, adoption is another option. Today, a woman making an adoption plan can have a significant role in deciding what that plan looks like. Depending on the type of adoption, you may be able to choose an adoptive family and decide what level of contact you would like after placement. Open, semi-open, and closed adoption offer different levels of communication and privacy. Speaking with a licensed adoption professional can help you understand these differences, your rights, and what the process would involve before you make any commitments. Discuss Your Options in a Confidential Space Having had an abortion before does not mean you have to make the same pregnancy decision again. Your feelings, circumstances, priorities, or perspective may be different this time. If you know you don’t want another abortion, start by learning what parenting and adoption could realistically look like in your current situation. Collage provides a place to talk about your pregnancy and the concerns influencing your decision. We can also connect you with adoption agencies and community organizations that provide the support you’re seeking. Reaching out doesn’t lock you into a specific decision. Schedule a no-cost appointment with Collage today to get your questions answered and explore the options available to you. Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services.
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