What Are the Immediate Physical Risks of Abortion?

May 28, 2024
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Chances are, if you're reading this, you're walking through a time of significant decision-making. If abortion is an option you're considering, it's critical to learn all you can about how it works and the risks to ensure you're making a fully informed decision. 


This article will highlight the essentials you need to know about abortion and the potential immediate risks. But if you’re looking to talk to someone about your pregnancy options or learn more about free support resources,
contact Collage today to schedule a free, confidential appointment. 


How Does Abortion Work?

There are two types of abortion: medical and surgical.


Medical abortion
relies on taking medication to induce abortion. The most common is the abortion pill, which uses a combination of two drugs. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the progesterone hormone that is needed for a pregnancy to continue, which ultimately results in the embryo’s death. The second drug, misoprostol, causes your uterus to contract, expelling the pregnancy out of your vagina.


Surgical abortion
is the process of dilating (opening up) your cervix so that medical instruments can enter your uterus to terminate and remove the pregnancy. Earlier in pregnancy, suction and scraping tools are used, while later in pregnancy, forceps are used to remove fetal parts.


What Are the Risks of Abortion?

Abortion, like any medical or surgical procedure, carries several different risks. Due to the fact that many women don’t report their abortion, there is limited information about complications, but the resources available report some of the following risks and side effects:


Medical Abortion:

• Incomplete or failed abortion

• Heavy and prolonged bleeding

• Undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy

• Infection

• Fever

• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea


Surgical Abortion:

• Incomplete abortion

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Organ damage


How Can I Protect My Health?

No matter what option you’re considering, an ultrasound is the only way to confirm if a pregnancy is viable, meaning it’s located in the uterus (not ectopic) and if a heartbeat can be detected. It also lets you know exactly how far along your pregnancy is. This is important to determine which type of abortion would be an option for you.


At Collage, we offer free, limited ultrasounds because we believe you deserve to have access to the information you need to protect your health. If your pregnancy test is positive at our center, after a brief medical assessment, we’ll determine if we can offer you an ultrasound.


Contact us today
to schedule your free, confidential appointment. You’re not alone in this. We’re here for you.

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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