Early Options Blog

You may have recently found out that you are pregnant.  You may know that the time is not right for you to have a baby.  You may be wondering about the most natural abortion methods, and whether it is possible to induce a miscarriage.  Is there a way to make your bosdy naturally expel the pregnancy without having to go through a surgical abortion procedure?

In talking about the safety and efficacy of early abortion, it is important to acknowledge that all types of early abortion are very safe. Whether you choose to have a surgical abortion, an Aspiration Procedure, or take the abortion pill, there are very few major complication risks. The effectiveness of each procedure will vary, with surgical abortion and the Aspiration Procedure both being over 99% effective. The abortion pill is statistically 95-98% effective.

It is very common for women who find themselves faced with an unwanted pregnancy to want to end the pregnancy not only early and as quickly as possible, but also to want to do so while maintaining their privacy and comfort, both physical and emotional. This is a completely reasonable and understandable desire in such a situation, and at Early Options, we do our best to provide options for early abortion that uphold both comfort and privacy.

It seems to be rather common that, when talking about abortion, many people assume that surgery is the only option. Historically, this has been the predominantly offered procedure in the United States. Most abortion clinics operating today offer surgical abortion, or D&C, as the standard procedure to treat termination of both early and later pregnancies. While this procedure has been important and, ultimately, necessary in providing ease of abortion access to women in America, advances in abortion care over the last few decades have opened the door to new, more natural methods of early abortion. Surgery is not the only option anymore.

With the plethora of inaccurate and misleading information available about abortion, it can be extremely difficult for many women to have a clear understanding of what exactly is entailed in the abortion process. Many women who find themselves in need of abortion services have no idea where to go or who to turn to, much less do they know what procedures are available or would be the best for them. It can be a very overwhelming time.

Medical abortion has certainly gained popularity as an early abortion technique over the last decade in America. Since it was approved by the FDA in 2000, the abortion pill has been seen as an easy alternative to surgical abortion. While this is true, to a certain extent, this will not be the case for every woman who chooses this abortion method. For this reason, it is important to us, at Early Options, that every patient be fully informed about all of the possible outcomes from this procedure. Being well-informed will not only help you to choose the best procedure for yourself, but will help with recovery if you know what to expect after coming to the office.

Imagine that you are pregnant. Maybe you are excited about starting, or adding to, your family. Perhaps you are considering your options. Next, imagine that you find out that the pregnancy is not viable and you have had a miscarriage. This can be a very difficult and confusing situation to process.

One of the most common concerns for women who are considering an early pregnancy termination is the effect that this will have on their ability to get pregnant in the future, when they choose to do so. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation out there regarding the risks associated with abortion. Truthfully, having an abortion, using any of the available methods, is statistically safer than childbirth.

It is important that before making the choice to take the abortion pill, you are aware of all of the possible outcomes as well as how to deal with each one. Here we will discuss the appropriate course of action for a failed medical abortion. While this happens rarely, it is still a possibility. Before taking the abortion pill, it is important to realize that once the first pill is swallowed, the abortion must be completed. You cannot continue a pregnancy after taking this pill.

The non-surgical, 5-minute Aspiration Procedure is one of the simplest and easiest methods for ending early pregnancy. This method can be completed anytime between 5 and 10 weeks into the pregnancy, estimated from the first day of your last normal menstrual period. This method is different from surgical abortion in a few significant ways. First, there is no electric machine, so it is quiet and the gentle suction that is caused from the handheld device used in this procedure is minimal, generally causing less intense cramping or “pulling” sensation. Also, because this procedure is non-surgical, the use of general anesthesia is not required. This is beneficial for a number of reasons including that the recovery time is much faster and there is a smaller health risk. The risks involved with general anesthesia alone are greater than the risks associated with the Aspiration Procedure. One of the most important differences for most women, however, is that, again, because it is non-surgical, the procedure does not have to be completed in an operating room. At Early Options, our Aspiration Procedure is performed in a private examination room, much like a normal pap test, and our patients are welcome to have a companion with them for support throughout the entire visit if they so choose. For many women, having their partner, family member, or friend with them can be a great comfort.