The methods endorsed by the World Health Organization to terminate a pregnancy are:
Abortion with the use of medications
In this method pills are used to cause the expulsion of the uterine contents. Once the process begins, cramping occurs and the expulsion of the uterine contents begins with the exit of clots of different sizes depending on the weeks of pregnancy. It is important to take analgesics before and during the process for pain control. There may be bleeding or spotting for up to two weeks.
It is highly recommended to be aware of the warning signs, which can be consulted below on this page.
The medications used are mifepristone and misoprostol combined or misoprostol alone. Both options are highly effective. For example, when 100 women use the two drugs combined, 95 of them achieve safe and effective expulsion of the contents of the uterus. Only 2 out of 100 women will have a complication when using the drug in less than 10 weeks of pregnancy (Ipas, 2020, pp. 82-83).
In the case of the misoprostol-only regimen used before 13 weeks gestation, out of 100 women who use the drug, 80 to 85 of them effectively expel the contents of the uterus. Only 1 to 4 women would have complications (Ipas, 2020, p. 74).
Uterine aspiration
It consists of extracting the contents of the uterus with gentle suction through a flexible cannula inserted into the cervix. Local anesthesia plus oral or intramuscular analgesics are regularly used to reduce discomfort during the process. Vacuum aspiration is a safe and effective outpatient procedure, since 98 out of every 100 women achieve successful evacuation, and only one may present complications in pregnancies of less than 13 weeks gestation (Ipas, 2020, pp. 61-71).
The legal termination of pregnancy, with either of the two methods methodsis performed in clinics and hospitals of the health system of Colima.
How do I know which method is right for me?
In order to choose the appropriate method, it is necessary to take into account the number of weeks of pregnancy, the woman’s state of health, the equipment and medications available, the existence of trained health personnel, as well as the woman’s preference for one of the methods.
Is medical abortion or Manual Vacuum Aspiration painful?
Although the abortion experience will be different for each person, both procedures can be painful for some women. To reduce the pain of cramping and discomfort, medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and, in case of allergy, acetaminophen (paracetamol) can be used. It also helps to place a warm water bag or hot seeds on the belly.
Safe abortion with misoprostol
If you need additional information on the safe and legal use of misoprostol, check out this video that explains the procedure step by step, following the clinical protocols recommended by international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
Warning signs after a miscarriage
The use of medications for safe abortion has low levels of complications, less than one case per 100,000 procedures. However, they can occur.
Learn about the warning signs of medical abortion procedure in the following video:
Recommendations after an abortion
Some important recommendations are:
- Receive counseling and guidance about the various contraceptive method options available, and begin using them even on the day of the abortion, if a pregnancy is not desired soon.
- The use of condoms is recommended when resuming your sexual life for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
- Follow the recommendations of the health personnel if a follow-up medical consultation is necessary.