In the United States, one out of three women ends up having an unwanted pregnancy that ends in abortion.

Before abortion was legalized in 1973, it was often a very dangerous procedure. Yet many people had unwanted pregnancies and sought ways to end them. I’ve read stories about women being blindfolded and driven to an unknown place, where the abortion might be performed by an unqualified, untrained person. The utensils used were sometimes not sterilized and caused terrible infections that left women infertile. Some women would hemorrhage (bleed heavily). Some even bled to death.

Tweet

Print

Now that doctors can legally perform abortions, the procedure is very safe. There are two kinds: the abortion pill and a surgical (or in-clinic) abortion. The abortion pill can be used up to nine weeks after the first day of a woman’s last period. (The embryo is about one-half inch at eight weeks.) It actually involves a couple of different medications. You will have cramps and heavy bleeding. Most women abort within a few hours; for some, the process takes several days.

A surgical abortion involves a procedure called vacuum aspiration. That involves a suction device being inserted through the vagina and into the uterus (womb) to suck out the embryo and pregnancy tissue. This type of abortion can usually be done in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Dilation and evacuation is another form of surgical abortion that is usually done more than 12 weeks into the pregnancy. It also involves a vacuum procedure, but larger pieces of tissue are pulled out with special tools, and the lining of the uterus is also gently scraped to remove tissue. This form of abortion is safe up to the end of the second trimester (27 weeks).

All of these procedures involve follow-up with the health care provider. It’s also important to remember that you can get pregnant right away after an abortion, so definitely talk to the health care provider about birth control options while in the clinic for an abortion.

Myth Versus Reality

There are still many myths about what abortion is and what it can do to your body. I wanted to get some solid information, so I talked to Carol Roye, a pediatric nurse practitioner and Assistant Dean for Research at Hunter College. Roye specializes in preventing teen pregnancy.

According to Roye, there are two questions you should ask yourself when making the decision to have sex. You should ask yourself, “Do I want a baby and is now the time?” and “What are my goals in life and will a baby interfere?” Answering those questions will help you decide what you are ready for. If you don’t want a baby, don’t have unprotected sex.

If you do get pregnant, it’s important to think through all your options (parenting, adoption, or abortion) and make a decision as soon as possible. If you decide to keep the baby or pursue adoption, you need to get prenatal care so that the baby stays healthy as it grows. If you decide to get an abortion, don’t put off scheduling an appointment. Abortions before 12 weeks are very safe; after that the risks increase slightly. After 20 weeks, abortion is considered “late-term,” which is illegal in some states and usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.

Carrying a pregnancy to term is much riskier than having an abortion. Still, for many women, abortion is not an easy decision. This is for a lot of reasons, but one is that we may have heard scary things about abortion. Not all are true. For example, abortion does not increase the risk of breast cancer. Although carrying a pregnancy to term can reduce the risk of breast cancer, abortion doesn’t increase that risk.

It’s also just as easy to get pregnant after an abortion. You have the same chances as before. (So protect yourself!)

Prevent Pregnancy in the First Place

If so many people consider abortion a difficult decision, why don’t they just practice safer sex? Roye told me that a lack of resources is often the reason. Lots of women don’t have health insurance, which makes its harder for them to obtain birth control.

If you don’t have insurance or money, you can go to your local hospital, health care provider, or a Planned Parenthood clinic and tell them that. They can help you find ways to get what you need. New York State has a program that provides Medicaid to cover birth control for all women of childbearing age, and also for men.

Roye herself has done research on the best way to prevent teen pregnancy, and found that two methods of birth control—condoms plus another method such as the Pill, for example—work best to prevent pregnancy and also infections. (See "Contraception 101" for information on these and other forms of contraception.)

image by Freddy Bruce

But if you do get pregnant, you have options, and it’s helpful to get an adult’s viewpoint. If you’re worried about talking to your parents, talk to another trusted adult. Choose someone who will listen, who will respect your choices, and who won’t try to push you into a decision you’re not comfortable with. There are also hotlines and clinics where you can go for confidential counseling (see box at the end of this story).

Planned Parenthood is a very helpful place to start and provides unbiased, accurate information. It will answer some basic questions about sexual health, contraception, and abortion for people who become pregnant and have no clue where to turn.

Laws on parental consent for abortion vary from state to state, but in New York, you don’t need parental permission. You can obtain an abortion, and sexual health care in general, at any age. It would be illegal for a doctor or nurse to tell a teen’s parent that she is sexually active, or pregnant, or that he or she has a sexually transmitted infection, if the teen didn’t want the parent to know.

Speak Up

It is important that teens go to their health care provider if they have concerns or questions about their sexual health. In New York if you go to a clinic outside of the foster care agency, your visits will be totally confidential. But if you use the foster care agency’s health care providers, they may disclose your information.

The boy or man who gets a girl or woman pregnant has no legal say in her decision. But before it gets to that point, you and your partner should discuss the decision to have sex; the two of you should have a discussion about using condoms and, preferably, another form of birth control as well. In addition, Plan B, also known as the morning after pill, is available without a prescription to women aged 17 or older. (Younger teens need a prescription.) It can be used up to 72 hours after sex to prevent pregnancy, although it should not be used as a substitute for regular birth control.

If you have questions about sex, birth control, or abortion, talk them out with a health care provider and a trusted family member or friend. The more information you have, the better able you’ll be to make healthy, safe choices about your body and your life.

Need Help?

Planned Parenthood Federation of America
plannedparenthood.org
Hotline: 1-800-230-PLAN

Sex, Etc.
sexetc.org
A site about sexual health, written by teens

YouthSuccessNYC
youthsuccessnyc.org
Click on the “sexuality” tab at the top of the homepage

National Abortion Federation
www.prochoice.org

“Teen-friendly” clinics checked out by TORCH (Teen Outreach Reproductive Challenge)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/std/teens-clinics.pdf

A Word of Caution About Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Crisis pregnancy centers are anti-abortion centers staffed by people who try to persuade pregnant women to keep their babies. They often look like sexual health clinics and advertise free pregnancy tests. But unlike a licensed clinic like Planned Parenthood, most do not provide medical services. Many provide false information about abortion.

At a CPC, you might be shown a graphic video of abortion or be handed religious information. You will not get unbiased counseling. Before you go to a clinic, make sure that it is licensed by your local health department.