RU Pregnant? – Considering Abortion?

You may already feel surprise, anxiety, and/or many other emotions about this situation. Now is the time you need to have confidence that you are getting accurate pregnancy options and abortion facts. This article will help you dismiss the myths and misinformation that you may hear and understand the facts.

This will help you be healthy now, and in the future, and help you make the right decisions for yourself. It is your pregnancy, your right to know, and your decision.

Also, as a first step, take a look this information about pregnancy testing and ultrasound, to confirm your pregnancy and help to define your options.

List of Abortion Myths & Facts

On this page is a list of some of the more common Abortion Myths and Facts topics – click on each item below to jump to that section on this page.

Here are some common Abortion Myth statements discussed here.

  • All women have the same abortion experiences.
  • There are no consequences to having an abortion.
  • Abortion doesn’t have any mental health impact.
  • Men are not affected by abortion.

Abortion Myths & Facts

These are not listed in any order of importance or frequency. Check back here again as we may expand this list. Let us know if there are any other abortion myths or facts you would like to see addressed. Feel free to ask about these or others at your appointment.

Myth 1: All or most women have similar Abortion experiences.

Since some women experience Abortion a certain way, this means you will likely experience it the same way. There are no consequences to having an abortion.

Fact 1: Women may have very different Abortion experiences.

The American Psychological Association (APA) research states, “It is important that women’s varied experiences of abortion be recognized, validated, and understood.” 1

The range of possible physical and mental/emotional side effects, risks, and complications 3,4,5,6,8 shows the wide range of possible abortion experiences women may have.

CAPS has direct testimonies of women that report after an abortion they had physical and emotional issues for which they were unprepared.

Myth 2: Abortion side effects and risks are only minor, or so rare it doesn’t matter.

There are no consequences to having an abortion. Abortion doesn’t increase your risk for having mental health problems.

Fact 2: Abortion side effects, risks, and possible complications can be significant, and some can be long term.

It is important to understand these effects, risks, and possible complications before having an abortion 2 to make sure you have clarity and peace about your decision. In addition to obvious physical issues, the experience of abortion has risks for mental health issues and emotional responses – for example it can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and problems with interpersonal relations.3

Emotional / Psychological Side Effects

It is not unusual for a woman to experience a range of psychological and emotional responses after having an abortion. 2,3 Any pregnancy loss (abortion, miscarriage) can lead to an interruption in a woman’s hormone cycle. As you may know, when a hormone cycle is interrupted or changed, it can have a big impact on a woman. The negative feelings a woman has after a planned termination (abortion) may be at least partly due to hormonal changes, like those that occur after a spontaneous pregnancy loss (miscarriage). Also, for some women, how they cope with crisis, their existing mental health and stressors, and their support system can all effect how they deal with an abortion.3

The American Psychological Association (APA) research states, “It is important that women’s varied experiences of abortion be recognized, validated, and understood.” 1

Surgical Abortion Side Effects

Here are just a few of the more serious Surgical Abortion side effects. 5,6,7 More side effects are listed on the Surgical Abortion page.

  • Cramping of the uterus or pelvic pain (for some like a very bad menstrual period)
  • Emotional or psychological distress
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Surgical Abortion Risks 6,7

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Infection of the uterus
  • Infection of the fallopian tubes (which can cause scarring and cause infertility)
  • Puncture (perforation) of the uterus
  • Scarring of the uterine lining (suction tubing, curettes and other abortion instruments may cause permanent scarring of the uterine lining)
  • Damage to the cervix (creating complications with future pregnancies)
  • Increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight in subsequent pregnancies
  • Death, in rare circumstances

CAPS has heard direct testimonies from women that report after an abortion they had an unexpected large amount of vaginal bleeding for which they were unprepared. One of CAPS patients, who had been to an abortion clinic, reported passing out from all the blood loss and got a black eye after she hit the bathroom cabinet or toilet. There are testimonies similar to these from other women.

Abortion Pill Side Effects 2,8,10

Mayo Clinic lists about 30 possible abortion pill side effects. 8 Here are just a few of them:

  • Intense cramping of the uterus
  • Pelvic / abdominal pain
  • Vaginal bleeding – excessive bleeding may require surgery to stop it
  • Fever and infection
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea / digestive system discomfort
  • Vomiting
  • Emotional / psychological impact / distress 2, 3

Abortion Pill Risks

  • Telehealth (virtual / remote) audio or video assessment – limited medical contact
  • Ectopic pregnancy – can be life-threatening
  • Hemorrhaging – may require surgery to stop it
  • Infection – incomplete removal of the fetus or surrounding tissues may require antibiotics and/or surgery

Myth 3: Abortion clinics are the only place to get abortion information.

Just call an abortion clinic without talking with any other medical professional or clinic. An abortion clinic has all the info you need.

Fact 3: Abortion clinics may not always tell you all the facts or information. You can get the abortion facts and information from CAPS to help you make a well-informed decision.

Abortion clinics make substantial money from abortions, so they have a strong interest in doing abortions. CAPS patients have sometimes told us about abortion clinics that pushed abortion as the primary choice, before the woman had a complete chance to carefully consider other options.

Here are just a few important facts that some abortion clinics may not tell you. More details are in this Blog article The Abortion Pill – What Some Abortion Clinics May Not Tell You.

Abortion Pill medication risks – The U.S. FDA has enough of a safety concern that they have the medical abortion drug mifepristone under their Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. This program is for certain medications with serious safety concerns to help ensure the benefits of the medication outweigh its risks. While all medications have labeling that informs healthcare stakeholders about medication risks, only a few medications require a REMS.9, 10

Abortion Pill Reversal. Some women regret taking the abortion pill afterwards. The abortion pill may be reversible.

Abortion Telehealth has limitations – telemedicine or telehealth is a virtual (remote / video) evaluation and support over the internet. It has some limitations. For many people, when there is health risk involved, there is something that feels safer and more comforting about being in person, in the room with a doctor or a nurse. In some situations, it is important for a medical professional to be able to physically examine you to understand your issue and diagnose you well.

Full range of options – CAPS will help you examine the full range of options (abortion, parenting, adoption) including the details about each option, so you can make the best choice for your situation. No matter what choice you make, CAPS will be there for you before, during, and after your pregnancy.

Quality of service – not all medical clinics are the same. Some medical clinics provide excellent service, and some provide very poor service – with many clinics being in between. CAPS is at the top end of highest quality service as shown by our wonderful patient reviews. The number of 5-star CAPS reviews is much higher than many abortion clinics and other medical clinic reviews.

Myth 4: Abortion does not affect men.

There are no consequences to having an abortion.

Fact 4: Abortion can deeply affect men.

Many men have reported to CAPS and other sources about the impact of an abortion.

One man said: “I regret not having voiced a strong opinion at the time D decided. I neither consented nor objected, just passively attended. It seemed like her decision to make. In fact, all I did was pay…and, if by some miracle you ever read this, I wish we would have talked more before going ahead. And I’m so very ashamed of the lack of support I offered at the time.”

Another guy advised: “Whether you’ve already experienced this or if you’re weighing options, the best advice I can give you is to be as open and communicative as possible, don’t push or pry your partner and make sure your actions/words come from the heart.”

Another man talked about how it was 30 years ago the abortion occurred, but he still remembers it like it was yesterday. “For me, that part of it is in the moment when we felt so alone and felt so scared and so much fear, to not have a moment to step back and gain perspective, and have someone say “Is this going to be OK?” [emotional pause]”11

These are just a few among many stories from men about the impact of abortion on them.

Here for You! – Get Help

While CAPS Pregnancy + Medical Clinics do not perform abortions or refer to abortion clinics, we are here to help you examine the full range of options (abortion, parenting, adoption) including the variables for each option, so you can make the best choice for your situation.

No matter what choice you make, CAPS will be there for you before, during, and after your pregnancy.

All pregnancy services are FREE including a FREE pregnancy test, FREE ultrasound, and FREE education and resources. We also provide low to no cost STI / STD testing. All our services to you are private – your privacy is important to us.

To get help, contact us at any of the San Diego area clinic locations, call us at 619-337-8080, or schedule an appointment.

Citations

1 American Psychological Association (APA), Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion. (2008). Report of the Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved September 1, 2023 from http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/mental-health-abortion-report.pdf

2 Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Medical Abortion. Retrieved September 1, 2023 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687

3 Eastern Journal of Medicine. (2020). Psychological Effects of Abortion. An Updated
Narrative Review. Retrieved September 1, 2023 from https://jag.journalagent.com/ejm/pdfs/EJM_25_3_477_483.pdf

4 American Psychologist. (2009). Abortion and Mental Health – Evaluating the Evidence. Retrieved September 1, 2023 from https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/amp-64-9-863.pdf

5 Mayo Clinic. (2022). Could an elective abortion increase the risk of problems in a subsequent pregnancy? Retrieved September 1, 2023 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/expert-answers/abortion/faq-20058551#:~:text=While%20many%20studies%20have%20shown,birth%20and%20low%20birth%20weight

6 Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Incompetent cervix. Retrieved September 5, 2023 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/incompetent-cervix/symptoms-causes/syc-20373836

7 Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Dilation and curettage (D&C). Retrieved September 5, 2023 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dilation-and-curettage/about/pac-20384910

8 Mayo Clinic. (2023). Mifepristone (Oral Route). Retrieved September 5, 2023 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/mifepristone-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20067123

9 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023). Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS). Retrieved September 1, 2023 from https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/risk-evaluation-and-mitigation-strategies-rems

10 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023). Mifepristone – Shared System REMS. Retrieved September 15, 2023 from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/rems/index.cfm?event=RemsDetails.page&REMS=390

11 Focus on the Family. (2020). An Interview with a Post-Abortive Father. Retrieved September 25, 2023 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjgIRyo8BMw