This page Includes: Your Abortion Options—Abortion Methods—Considerations—Next Steps—Get Help—Glossary—Citations.

If you’re facing an unplanned or unexpected pregnancy, you may be feeling emotional and unsure of what to do. Your pregnancy situation may be unique in some ways, or you may have some special needs or issues. You are not alone. There is help. And you always have options, alternatives you can consider.

Options is here for you. We can help provide you with peace of mind and confidence for your future. Your physical and mental health are important.

Ultimately, the choice is yours regarding an abortion decision. The evidence-based information we provide is valuable and can help you make a pregnancy decision with confidence.

Below and on the pages Abortion Pill / Medical Abortion, and Surgical Abortion, are details about the different types of legal abortion options potentially available to you and important information on what to expect from each abortion method and procedure. All types of abortion pose certain health risks to the women who use them, so knowing those details will help you in your decision. Post-abortion effects and follow-up care are important to understand also.

We are available to help answer your abortion questions and provide information and resources as you consider your pregnancy options. All our services and information are FREE.

We are not an abortion provider or abortion referral agency, so we do not benefit financially from your decision.

Both abortion methods are medical procedures. Both abortion methods should be supervised and guided by licensed medical professionals.

Medical abortion, commonly referred to as the Abortion Pill (RU-486) is considered a medication abortion, or non-surgical abortion since it uses medications to end a pregnancy. It is a combination of two drugs – mifepristone (Mifeprex) and misoprostol (Cytotec) – designed to induce an abortion and end a pregnancy.

This abortion method is available within 10 weeks of the first day of your last menstrual period. However, there are some limitations of certain conditions where a medical abortion should not be used.¹ If a medical abortion is not fully successful, a surgical abortion may be necessary.¹

A medical abortion (abortion pill) is a multi-step process using 2 different drugs, with 5 pills total for the actual procedure. The U.S. FDA is concerned enough about one of the medications, Mifepristone, that the FDA has this drug under the FDA risk management program², with cautionary guidance about it.³ There are also cautions about buying the abortion pill medications online from non-approved or questionable sources, especially on the internet. Medical supervision is required for a medical abortion. Telehealth is an option that is commonly discussed for a medical abortion, but also has some risks to consider.

Having a medical abortion is a major decision with possible emotional and psychological effects. If you’re considering this abortion procedure, make sure you understand what it entails, side effects, possible risks, complications, and alternatives.¹

A surgical abortion is performed by surgically removing the contents of the uterus to end a pregnancy. The abortion surgery takes place in a clinic setting by licensed medical personnel.

There are currently two legal surgical abortion procedure methods in California.^4,5  The difference is when and how each abortion procedure is done.

• Suction / Vacuum Aspiration – between 6 to 16 weeks gestational age.
• Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) – between 16 to 24 weeks gestational age.

Gestational age is the common term used during pregnancy to describe how far along the pregnancy is. It is measured in weeks, from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual cycle to the current date.

Since it is a surgical procedure, surgical abortion poses different risks than medical abortion, though both have some similar risks. With any medical procedure that affects your health, you should be aware of the details since it can affect your short term and long-term future.

We can discuss these and other topics with you during your visit to Options.

Miscarriage

This is a spontaneous loss of a pregnancy, so you may not need to take any abortion action if this occurs. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, but the actual number is likely higher. ⁶

What are your Rights?

If you are unsure about what to do with your pregnancy, do not take the abortion pill or get a surgical abortion impulsively. If you have questions, are unsure, are being pressured or misled into an abortion, or are having second thoughts about abortion, consider speaking with Options. Please note that Options staff do not provide legal advice.

What are your Pregnancy and Abortion Questions?

Here are just a few pregnancy and abortion questions you may be asking, or you may have heard from others. Our team can help answer these questions and others you may have, at your Free appointment.

• How do I know for sure if I’m pregnant?
• Are there pros and cons of abortion?
• What are possible risks, side effects, and complications of abortion?
• What are types of abortion available?
• What are the best options for my situation?
• What type of abortion should I get?
• How much does an abortion cost?

It is important to take one step at a time, and not get ahead of yourself and do something you may regret later. Sometimes emotions can get ahead of us. Taking one careful step at a time allows your emotions to catch up to the facts and information that you gather.

An ultrasound is the only way to confirm a viable pregnancy, fetal location, and gestational age (how far along you are). This information determines which abortion procedure you would qualify for, to help you make a decision with confidence.

The next best step is to schedule a FREE appointment with Options, so we can provide you with a free pregnancy test and free ultrasound. At this appointment, we also provide you with more details about abortion types, methods, risks, possible side effects and complications, costs, and alternatives. We can also help answer your questions.

After you have your FREE pregnancy test and ultrasound, you will have more information about your choices and can take the next steps. A registered nurse will be available to provide you with more information.

Contact us today – 626-671-0581, office@optionslapuente.org, or request an online appointment.

All our services are FREE and confidential!

We are here for you.

Mifepristone (Mifeprex) – a prescription drug that stops the supply of hormones that maintains the interior of the uterus. Without these hormones, the uterus cannot support a pregnancy and the contents of the uterus are expelled.

Misoprostol (Cytotec) – a prescription drug used in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology, including medication abortion, medical management of miscarriage, induction of labor, cervical ripening before surgical procedures, and the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.

U.S. FDA REMS program – a drug safety program that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can require for certain medications with serious safety concerns. REMS are not designed to mitigate all the adverse events of a medication. Rather, REMS focus on preventing, monitoring and/or managing a specific serious risk by informing, educating and/or reinforcing actions to reduce the frequency and/or severity of the event. Mifepristone is on the REMS list. ^{2, 3}

Content is reviewed for accuracy by licensed Medical Professional(s) and staff editor(s). Our editorial process.

6 Sources / Citations

¹ Mayo Clinic. (n.d). Medical Abortion. Retrieved February 14, 2024 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687

² U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023). Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS). Retrieved May 20, 2022 from https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/risk-evaluation-and-mitigation-strategies-rems

³ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023). Approved Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) -Mifepristone. Retrieved October 20, 2023 from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/rems/index.cfm?event=RemsDetails.page&REMS=390

⁴ CS Mott Children’s Hospital. (2023). Vacuum Aspiration for Abortion. Retrieved October 20, 2023 from https://www.mottchildren.org/health-library/tw1078

⁵ IPAS. (2018). Dilation and Evacuation. Retrieved October 20, 2023 from https://www.ipas.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DESTRE18-DilationEvacuationReferenceGuide.pdf

⁶ Mayo Clinic. (2023). Medical Abortion. Retrieved February 14, 2024 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/symptoms-causes/syc-20354298