Your health and safety matter as you consider your pregnancy options. At Radiance Women’s Center, we want you to feel seen and supported as you seek comprehensive information regarding all your options. Like any medical procedure, abortion carries potential risks that deserve careful evaluation.
Radiance Women’s Center offers free, confidential pregnancy testing, and if your test is positive, a medical technician can perform a limited obstetrical ultrasound to provide additional information about your pregnancy. An ultrasound can confirm the pregnancy’s location, estimate gestational age, and identify whether there are signs that further medical evaluation may be needed.
Reach out today to learn more about our services and schedule an appointment.
Understanding Medical Abortion Risks
A medical abortion, or the abortion pill, involves a two-drug regimen that is FDA-approved through 10 weeks of gestation. While the process causes significant cramping and vaginal bleeding as the uterus expels the pregnancy and related tissue, there are risks to consider:
- Incomplete abortion: If the abortion pill fails to empty the uterus, a follow-up surgical procedure is often required to prevent infection.
- Heavy hemorrhaging: Some women experience bleeding that is severe enough to require emergency medical intervention.
- Infection and sepsis: Serious internal infections can occur following the use of the abortion pill.
- Ectopic pregnancy: Abortion pills do not treat an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus), which is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate specialized care.
Potential Hazards of Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion, which is performed later in pregnancy, is performed in a clinical setting and involves dilating the cervix and using suction, medical instruments, or a combination of both to manually remove the pregnancy from the uterus. Sedation or anesthesia is typically used during the procedure.
These surgical procedures involve risks, such as:
- Uterine Perforation: This occurs when a medical instrument accidentally punctures the uterine wall, potentially requiring further surgery.
- Cervical Damage: The process of dilation can sometimes cause lacerations or permanent damage to the cervix.
- Asherman’s Syndrome: In some cases, internal scar tissue may form on the uterine lining, which can impact future fertility.
- Anesthesia Reactions: If sedation is used, patients may experience adverse reactions to the medication.
Safeguarding Your Health in Pflugerville
At Radiance Women’s Center, you can take time to talk through your pregnancy testing results and better understand your pregnancy and options. We provide limited ultrasounds after a positive pregnancy test, as well as referrals, at no cost, so you can learn more about your pregnancy and available resources.
You do not have to sort through these questions on your own.
To schedule a free, confidential appointment, please call or text us at (512) 670-1777 or request an appointment online.
Radiance Women’s Center does not provide or refer for abortions.
