If you are facing an unintended or unwanted pregnancy, you may be considering an abortion. The choice is yours; we want to help. You deserve to have all the information on all of your options before you make your decision. You can find information below on the different types of abortions.
Agape does not perform or refer for abortions, but we offer free medical grade pregnancy tests, limited obstetrical ultrasounds, and consultations, giving you a medical verification of pregnancy that helps you determine how you should move forward. We seek to give you a safe space to process all the things happening in your life and an idea of what a path forward could look like.
Schedule an appointment today to take the first step!
Abortion Pill (Medical Abortion)
The Abortion Pill, also known as a chemical or medical abortion, is actually two different medicines taken at different times. This method of abortion is approved during the first 10 weeks of your pregnancy.
The first pill, mifepristone, usually taken in the clinic, blocks progesterone, a hormone women produce during pregnancy that is necessary for development of a baby. Occasionally light bleeding can accompany this first pill, but that isn’t common.
The second medicine, misoprostol, is a series of pills that can be taken orally or vaginally. It causes cramping and bleeding, emptying the uterus. Usually women take misoprostol at home within 72 hours of taking the mifepristone, and it will cause contractions that will expel the fetus. Most people experience cramping and bleeding within an hour of taking the misoprostol, though it might take longer for some. It is common for women to experience nausea, fever, diarrhea, or vomiting along with heavy bleeding and intense cramping, which can last around 12 hours. Light bleeding could continue for several days, up to 4-6 weeks or until a woman’s next period.
It’s important to remember that these pills are different from birth control and emergency contraception – like Plan B One-Step or ella.
Potential risks include: incomplete abortion which may need to be followed by a surgical abortion, an ongoing unwanted pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work, heavy and prolonged bleeding, blood clots in your uterus, infection, fever, and digestive system discomfort. Additionally, many women report negative effects on their mental and emotional health.
We highly recommend that you consult a physician before your abortion; though not legal in Tennessee, self-managed abortions are rising in popularity, however, for various reasons including ectopic pregnancy and other complications, the safest option for you involves oversight from certified medical personnel.
If you’ve taken the first pill, mifepristone, and changed your mind about having an abortion, there may be a way to save your pregnancy. Time is an important factor and you should seek help as soon as possible! Click here to learn more about abortion pill reversal.
Agape Women’s Services does not provide or refer for abortions, but we believe you should have all the information before you make your decision. This information is for educational purposes and is not intended as a recommendation or to take the place of medical counsel from your doctor.
The information on this page was sourced from:
Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust.
WebMD – Better information. Better health.
Healthily – Health Guide and Self-Care Checker (livehealthily.com)
Surgical Abortion
Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA)
A manual vacuum aspiration, often referred to as Suction Dilation and Curettage (Suction D&C), in-clinic abortion, or early surgical abortion, is the surgical abortion procedure performed in the first trimester (the first 12 weeks) though it can be done for up to 14 weeks LMP. This procedure should be preceded by an ultrasound, options counseling, and any testing you require (like STI testing). Most vacuum aspiration abortions begin with a pelvic exam. Depending on the gestational age, laminaria (sterilized sticks of seaweed that slowly absorb fluid and expand) might be inserted into the cervix (the opening of the uterus) to open it, providing access to the uterus. In pregnancies further along, additional medication might be needed to soften the cervix. Usually, local anesthesia is given to lessen pain during the procedure, but additional medication may be offered. It is also recommended that women receive antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection.
Once ready, the client will lie on an exam table as she would for a pelvic exam. A speculum will be inserted into the vagina to hold it open for the duration of the procedure. Usually, providers will apply local anesthetic to the cervix. A small tube will be inserted through the vagina and cervix into the uterus and connected to either a handheld manual vacuum or an electrical aspirator. The clinician will then use suction to detach the fetus from the placenta and extract all of the contents of the uterus, ending the pregnancy. They may need to use a curette, a small surgical instrument designed for scraping, to completely empty the uterus. Women may experience some bleeding and cramping, but will be able to return to normal activities fairly quickly.
Agape Women’s Services does not provide or refer for abortions, but we believe you should have all the information before you make your decision. This information is for educational purposes and is not intended as a recommendation or to take the place of medical counsel from your doctor.
D&E Abortion (Dilation & Evacuation)
A D&E abortion is the procedure used after 14 weeks LMP/gestation. This procedure should be preceded by an ultrasound, options counseling, and any testing you require (like STI testing). The cervix (opening to the uterus) will need to be dilated further than a first trimester abortion because of the larger size of the fetus. A clinician will likely use laminaria (sterilized sticks of seaweed that slowly absorb fluid and expand) to slowly open the cervix hours or even a day or two before the procedure.
If the pregnancy is well into the second trimester, some providers elect to use injections to end the fetus’s life prior to the procedure, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). For a D&E abortion, women will receive some sort of pain medication, like local anesthesia or even sedation for the extent of the procedure. It is recommended that women receive antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection.
The procedure usually begins with the provider inserting a speculum into the vagina to hold it open for the duration of the procedure and injecting the cervix with local anesthesia. In this type of abortion, the provider will use a combination of electrical suction, curettage, and other tools like forceps to remove the pregnancy from the womb. Forceps are a hand held, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. It is not unusual for clinicians to use ultrasound to guide them during the procedure. Depending on how far along the pregnancy has progressed, the provider will most likely need to remove the fetus in pieces using the forceps, later ensuring the uterus is empty with suction and curettage. Afterwards, the doctor might give medicine to stop the bleeding and help the uterus contract back to normal size. It is not unusual for women to experience cramping and bleeding for the next few days or weeks, and usually a few days of rest is recommended for recovery.
Agape Women’s Services does not provide or refer for abortions, but we believe you should have all the information before you make your decision. This information is for educational purposes and is not intended as a recommendation or to take the place of medical counsel from your doctor.
The risks of surgical abortions (MVAs and D&Es) are as follows: incomplete abortion (leaving some tissue in the uterus that will likely require a second procedure to remove) bleeding, infection, organ damage (like perforation of the uterus or scar tissue inside the uterus), or embolism. Additionally, many women report negative effects on their mental and emotional health.
The information on this page was sourced from:
Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust.
WebMD – Better information. Better health.
Healthily – Health Guide and Self-Care Checker (livehealthily.com)
Tennessee Abortion Laws
After the overturning of Roe v Wade June 24, 2022, decisions on abortion access went back to the state level.
After the overturning of Roe v Wade, Tennessee’s Human Life Protection Act, generally known as the Trigger Act, is now in effect and bans abortion in Tennessee except for in the case of a medical emergency.
The ban also restricts distribution of the Abortion Pill.
Although abortion is now illegal in the state of Tennessee, the law is written to hold the abortion providers accountable and not the pregnant woman seeking or obtaining the abortion.
The ban does not limit access to birth control and the morning after pill (sold over the counter).
