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Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Biology 103
2000 First Web
Report
On Serendip
Mifepristone..."The Abortion Pill": The Facts
Sujatha Sebastian
On September 28, 2000 the Food and Drug Administration after several years of research approved Mifepristone, better known as the "abortion pill", for distribution in the United States. The FDA's decision will have a definite impact on women's health care in the United States. There will be social and medical repercussions. The drug has caused controversy not only in antiabortion groups, but in Pro-Choice groups as well. Critics are worried that an abortion available in pill form will be "too easy". They are worried that use of the pill will be abused. What many people do not realize is that while Mifepristone will be beneficial to women's health care, it is not without side effects. In light of all the recent coverage that the "abortion pill" has been given in the media, and all the misinformation surrounding it, I decided researching that Mifepristone would be interesting and helpful. The purpose of my paper is to discover how Mifepristone works, how it is administered, and to look at its side effects. I want to demonstrate the benefit Mifepristone will be to women's health care, while showing that it is not an "easy" solution to abortion."Mifepristone, formerly known as RU-486, is a medical alternative to aspiration abortion."(1) It works by blocking progesterone from being absorbed into the uterus. When this happens the uterus sheds the endometrium (lining in the uterus, therefore inducing menstruation. (2 When Mifepristone is used as a method for abortion is it administered as part of a three step process. The first step is that 200 mg of Mifepristone is given orally in a doctor's office. Then within 24 to 48 hours the patient is given 400 mg a drug called Misoprostol either orally or in a suppository form. Misoprostol, which is a synthetic hormone, is used to get the cervix to soften and dilate as well as getting the uterus to relax. The embryo is then expelled.(2) This is supposed to happen approximately fours hours after the administration of the drug. The final step is an examination by a medical professional to make sure the abortion is complete. (2)
There are restrictions as to who can use this medical method of abortion. It is only intended for women to use up to nine weeks after their last menstruation period. Women who are under 18 or over 35, epileptic, diabetics, or suffering from heart, lung, kidney, liver, stomach or intestinal disorders are ineligible. As are women who have taken steroids within the past 12 months, or deemed overweight or a heavy smoker. Women who have used an IUD or hormonal contraceptive within three months prior to conception are not allowed to take Mifepristone as well.(2)
Like any drug or medical method there are side effects to using Mifepristone and Misoprostol. It is the number of side effects and degree of each that critics argue about. The FDA has determined that taking Mifepristone does cause various degrees of pain. Short term physical effects can be pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.(2) There are psychological side effects as well. In some cases products of the conception are visualized. (3)
The use of Mifepristone will have a definite impact on reproductive freedom in this country and the world. (3) It is seen as less invasive procedure which gives the woman more freedom and privacy. In the United States it has been reported by the Alan Guttmacher Institute that eighty-nine percent of the abortions occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Mifepristone will allow women another option to terminate a pregnancy in its early stages. (2) Twenty-four percent of the world's population lives in places where abortion is not legal. (3) As a result a significant population of women perform their own abortions or receive illegal abortions which kills them. The medical method of abortion would allow women in these areas of the world to receive a safe method of abortion.
A major issue that critics of Mifepristone have is that they feel that the drug will allow abortions to become "too easy". But the drug is only administered in a medical office and requires at least three visits. The last visit is an examination to see that the abortion is complete and that the mother is in good health. Before the patient is given Mifeprex tablets (Mifepristone) she must sign an agreement in which she acknowledges that there are side effects, that there is a three step process, and that 5 to 8 women out of every hundred do not have successful medical abortions and need surgical abortions . (5) Critics worry that the drug will cause an increase in the number of women who have abortions. Supporters of the drug cite the fact that in France, where the drug is manufactured and was first administered, there has not been an increase in the abortion rate. (2)
Mifepristone will change the way that abortions are administered. This method gives a woman more autonomy and does not require her to go through surgical procedure. It can also prevent pregnancy by taken as soon as a day after she has had intercourse. This new method will allow more women to have access to safe abortions. Mifepristone opens the door to a new area of medicine in which previously surgical procedures are now approached in a medical manner. Whether in support of or against Mifepristone one has to recognize the new technology the drug represents.
One of the problems I had when researching information was finding unbiased information. Both pro and anti Mifepristone groups used "research" and statistics to their benefit. Distinguishing the difference between opinion and fact was difficult. This is especially true because there is not a lot of accurate information about Mifepristone published by reliable sources. This is due to the fact that Mifepristone has just recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone that will be beneficial to women's health care and medicine. But one must realize that it is not without side effects and cannot be seen as an "easy" solution to abortion.
WWW Sources
1)www.plannedparenthood.org/mifepristone.html, Mifepristone2)www.rascalnut.com/naral.ohio/RU486.html, The Facts about Mifepristone (RU 486)
3)www.mja.com.au/public/issues/sep15/henshaw/henshaw.html, Mifepristone
4)http://jinx.sis.unsw.edu.au/~greenlft/1994/137/137p28htm, "Abortion Pill": A Woman's Right to Choose by, Kath Gelber
5)www.popcouncil.orgrhpdev/mifeprex/patient%5Fagreement.html,The Patient Agreement Mifeprex (Mifepristone) Tablets
6) www.pages.map.com/lroberge/ru486.htm, RU486: The Hidden Effects by Lawrence F. Roberge
6) www.nrlc.org/ru486/propsedFDAregs.html, RU486 *Please note that some of the sources read during my research were from biased sources (the National Right to Life Committee web site for example). Facts were not used from these sources in my paper. These sources were instead used to discover the arguments anti-Mifepristone groups had and to see the false information they were publishing about the drug.
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08/06/2005, from a Reader on the Web I took that pill and almost blead to death now i have have to say it's not as easy as it sounds it is very painful like child birth but more blooder atleast for me i now have endromitrious and may have to have my women parts removed i had nothing before i took those pills i'm 37 so i'm just saying better think it out before you take it because it's dangerious i have a son who is 18 it was easier for me to have him then go through childbirth than taking those pills becuse i'm still not well and it has been 7 months
For what it's worth, I though I'd share my personal experience using Mifepristone almost a month ago.. After having made the difficult choice to abort, I learned of this pill as an alternative option to having the traditional surgical procedure. Of course, as anyone would, I opted to try the pill because it seemed -less- painful and was something I could do in the privacy of my own home. After having been given the first pill, Mifepristone, at the doctors office on a Friday afternoon, I finished out my day at work with minimal side-effects at that point. The Mifepristone made me slightly sick to my stomach, but compared to the ongoing morning sickness I'd been going through, it wasn't so bad. (ha ha) Misoprostol was the next step, given to me in the form of 4 tablets, to be inserted vaginally myself at home. I was also given a full bottle of Vicodin, as well as a bottle of 800mg Ibuprophen for the pain the doctor anticipated I would encounter (this worried me a little). Late Satuday afternoon, I'd say around 4:30pm, scared to death not knowing what to expect once everything started, and knowing I couldn't turn back now, I inserted the tablets and took 1 Vicodin as directed. About 30 minutes from the time I did this I began to have cramping comparable to what you would feel during a typical menstrual period.. but not for long. Within an hour I had severe cramping.. I'd been warned the pain could equal that of actual child-birth contractions, and this must have been it. (I've never had a child, so I can only imagine) I was to the point of feeling like I would pass out if the pain didn't let up when I passed the first, and largest, portion of what -was- the pregnancy.. Many people will tell you that all you'll see is blood and clots, and it's unlikely anything will look like actual tissue.. but mine sure did.. Large masses of gray tissue were expelled for the following numerous hours. Somewhere close to midnight that night I felt relief enough to know it was over.. or so I thought. 4 days after this, while I -should- have been feeling more or less back to normal, I began to experience increasing pain in my abdomen. I called and spoke with my doctor about this, but felt as though she didn't seem concerned at all. No more than 2 hours after hanging up the phone I developed a fever that shot through the roof out of nowhere, and my heart began beating unbelieveably TOO fast. The "increasing pain" in my abdomen now had me laying in bed, hardly able to move. I called my mother who left work and rushed to my home to get me. I couldn't even get out of bed to let her in when she arrived I hurt so bad. I ended up in the emergency room that afternoon with a heartbeat of 143 beats/min.. (Check your own and then you'll see just how high 143 is) and a 103 temperature I ended up fighting to keep away for the next 4 days. To make a long story short, that first afternoon I spent over 8 hours in a treatment room in the emergency area before they got my vitals under control and discovered the cause of everything.. The abortion pill I used began attacking my own body in a sense, and began a horrendous infection in my uterus. In the end I spent a week in the hospital on 3 of the most potent anti-biotics available, as well as some heavy-duty narcotic pain killers, while specialists from the surrounding hospitals kept watch over me constantly. It's now been almost a month since then, and I still have to have blood work done, as well as ultrasounds every now and then to keep monitoring my recovery. I have constant sharp pains in my abdomen and have been told the scar tissue left over from the infection may now keep me from becoming pregnant in the future.. It's all so much to deal with, and honestly, I don't think I've come to terms with everything yet. It still feels like a bad dream. Regardless of my experience with the pill and side effects it caused me, I can still step back and look at the broad picture of things.. The majority of women who use this method have no problems, and for them, this is a good way to go. I really do think it's a better choice for most, than to have the surgical abortion.. BUT - be warned.. It's not "easy" using the pill, and there's no way to know how you're body will react to it. I never knew I'd go through the things I did because of it. This is definitely not something to be looked at as the "new contraceptive" either, as some are saying. It's so risky, putting your body through something like this. It could take a toll on you that will effect the rest of your life. Like me.. Will I ever be able to have kids after everything that happened? Every woman out there should begin by being aware of how to avoid an unwanted pregnancy from the start. Such as life happens, and most protection only offers 99.9% effectiveness, we forget that's NOT 100%.. If you still become pregnant and choose to abort, do your homework.. read about all possibilities, and all side effects for each.. then decide what's best for you. I think the pill is a great option.. but be careful, it's certainly not without it's flaws.
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| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
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Comments
How far along were you?
How far along were you?
i want to know how to take pills...
hi i want the whole procedure and the extent of pain which happens coz my wife is pregnent and we dont want a baby right now.
i am having confusion about that how to take that pills coz i dont want to go to a doctor. . .
I just took the first pill.
I just took the first pill. Im 14, about 7 weeks pregnant. These people are scaring me.. I need some comforting advice or something. Help?
Reply...
You're only 14?! You poor thing. It is a pretty scary experience I'm not going to lie to you, but if you have someone there with you to help it won't be so bad. It might be painless and ok for you, ya really never know. But just keep breathing and know that it'll all be over in a matter of an hour or 2. Everyone's story is different, and it depends on your pain threshold and how far along you are. I'm sure you'll be ok, you're only young so do try and have someone there with you because it's a little traumatic and with all your hormones flyin all over the place ya could feel a little depressed and need some company.
I really hope you're ok and it all goes well for you, maybe all these scary stories will be good as you'll expect the worst and it mightn't be bad atal!
Good Luck x
Abortion pill
I am about to take this pill and all the comments I read scare me.but yours was more comforting. I'm really nervous about it. I have some questions if you get back in touch with me thank you.
whats your email? i would
whats your email? i would have no problem answering questions.
worried
I am worried about a day after pill i took on may 14th. I am wondering would it be safe for me to use the abortion pill on june 8th.
Mifepristone
You can safely use the abortion pill in June. It's the doctor though who decides what procedure is best.
I am scheduled to have an
I am scheduled to have an abortion this morning and I opted for the pill form. All I keep reading about is the PAIN and extreme bleeding. Honestly, I'm scared shitless!! I want this because no part of my life is ready but I'm scared of all these stories!! Is the cramping as painful as child birth? Or is it painful just like menstrual cramps? I was told I would be taking the pills orally but I kept reading about women inserting them vaginally? How exactly did yours work?
Im not sure which way you
Im not sure which way you decided to do it, but Planned parenthood told me that inserting them vaginally had more of a risk for infections... I dont know if there is any truth to that, but I took mine orally and it worked just fine!
I was the exact same way, I
I was the exact same way, I was expecting my stomach to fall out and that I had to take atleast a week off of work, but no, the only truly bad time was the first night i had to take it vaginally...the cramps hurt and I was shocked at the tissues and blood clots...sorry to get graphic...but the only thing that i can say is after a day or so it is just like a regular period and thats to say that I have horrible cramps when its that time of the month. I "scared" myself by reading all of the forums...but for those out there who know this is the right decision don't be afraid...think it over of course but don't worry yourself to death...Lord knows I did and though I feel horrible for what I did i'm a little relieved it wasn't horrible as many said it would be...
pill
it is almost a week since my horrible pregnacy scare. i took the 4 pills last week honestly i wish i did the surgical abortion instead. after an hour or two of taking the 4 pills i experience the most painfull gross thing ever i had disgusting things coming out of every hole except my ears! this really only lasts for about 5 hours but last time i went and got a surgical it was over and done with and i didnt have to do this at home or see anything. the cramping was horrible. i opted out of taking any opiats im sure if i took the perks it would have been less painfull 3 days though. if you do this you really need a week off from work or school to stay in bed. dont stand alot or move anything heavy afterwards. almost a week an a half now i feel alot better not as much bleeding almost like the end of a period. i feel like i have a second chance in life like i turned over a new leaf. even though its sad it was really the right thing to do. dont listen to all the jesus freaks. do what you know is best for your self and think what the future would be like. i know i cant barley support myself. i would not make a good mother. i am adopted and would never put a kid through what i went through. i dont want to hear any negative comments about what i did cause i really dont give a f@#$ what other people did i did what i though was right for me. i wanted to share this with any curious people dont be scared whatever option you choose you are not alone there are so many women out there worse off or in the same boat. so this is the last time i am visiting this forum thankyou for all the stories and nice comments.
how long does the heavy bleeding last
i'm 22 and 6 weeks pregnant. i took the 1st pill yesterday under supervision. i have to take my next 4 pills tomorrow. i'm really scared. i actually have exams starting day after. so i want to know how long the excessive cramps and bleeding will last approximately.
not as bad as I thought it would be!!!
Ok, so its day two, and I took the 4 tablets about 7 hours ago. Unlike alot of peoples experiences I actually did get mild cramping in day 1. it was very minimal, and a couple ibuprofen I had over the counter seemed to help that. I was super nervous to take the tablets. I was given ibuprofen 800s and tylenol with Coedine. I took one of the 800s about 20 minutes before I put the tablets in my cheek. I will be honest, after the tablets dissolved i followed it with one of my tylenol with coedines it wasnt even 20 minutes and I was already starting to get cramping like a painful period, but it wasnt anything too bad that my heatpad didnt help. I spent the next hour and a half watching movies in my bed. Since I was sipping water the whole time, I did have to pee. When I went the first time, i was bleeding but it wasnt anything more than like a heavy period. i got up another half hour or so later and the cramps were a little more severe, this time I was actually passing tissue. Another half hour when I got up, the pain, I would probably compare to a really bad period cramp, not one to drop you on your knees, but it was definitely enough to make me use my heatpad which I STRONGLY recommend. it made this so much easier. I did at one point get very light headed, and I threw up once, but it was quick and it was only one time. I read these stories on here the day I made my appointment and was completely and utterly terrified. I know all women are different but it wasnt so bad for me. I took another tylenol with coedine 4 hours after I took the first, and that is all I have taken so far, and I am fine. The cramps come and go but the heatpad is making it easier. the clots i am passing is nothing compared to a lemon or so they say. and I was worried about that because in my appointment, they confirmed I was already into my 7th week and I am only 120 pounds. So ladies dont worry, I was farther along than most of these girls posting which means I have more tissue to pass as well. I dont know anyone who has actually gone thru with this personally, so I cant say that I had a friend who could agree with me. The only thing I can recommend is HEATPAD, and take your painkillers as directed, I am taking just the tylenol with coedine one every 4 hours as directed. I havent even taken the ibuprofen again I am just gonna wait and use that for later in case I still have a little cramping. I dont expect the pain to increase, and i havent even filled up a whole pad yet. Most of the bleeding is happening when I sit on the toilet, which is also probably when the cramps are most severe cuz I dont have the heatpad on my belly. But also keep in mind I have been resting all day, so I have been laying down the whole time I am not sitting on the toilet. So dont let people convince you its horrible. The staff at pp will tell you about the fever, nausea, cramping, because they have to, like all medications peoples bodies react differently. Dont let these stories scare you, because at most the severe cramping only last a couple hours. I didnt get a fever, chills, and I only threw up once. I will post on here later if anything changes, but so far so good! I am sure the worst is over now since it has already been 7 hours. and ladies you are not alone, the place I went to has a dedicated day to do medical abortions, and there were several girls there going through the same thing as me. I dont regret my decision because I wasnt ready financially and emotionally. Just be sure that you really want to go through with it. Anyways, good luck ladies. Keep your heads up.
Ok, so it has been 5 days, I
Ok, so it has been 5 days, I am still bleeding quite a bit, a little more than you would see in a normal period. What is odd though is starting yesterday, I have gotten some pretty bad cramps which feels like period cramps but way more intense. Part of me is afraid that I might have an infection, but they gave me medication that I am taking twice daily to prevent that and drinking lots of water. So far it hasnt been bad enough for me to do anything about it, but hopefully its just my body trying to get back into swing, I am curious if it is normal for anyone to get almost worse pains after the tissue has passed? Now Im scared and afraid I was counting my chickens before they hatched.
well, i guess it was a fluke.
well, i guess it was a fluke. I just had really bad cramping for like 2 days. and I was fine, I feel great now though. Sorry if I scared anyone but I was just being honest with my experience.
I had the same problem. I had
I had the same problem. I had to go back in for an emergency visit due to that immense amount of pain I was in bc of the cramps and when they did the ultrasound they found that I had a blood clot that caused a blockage. If you are still having cramps you should definitely think about getting that checked out just to make sure you don't have the same problem I did.
Similar Experience
It was my Day 2 May 14. I took my four Misoprostol tablets at 11 a.m. and now, at 1 a.m. on the 15th, I have virtually no pain and only standard period bleeding.
My experience with side effects also wasn't as bad as some of the other women who posted here. About an hour after swallowing the rest of the dissolved tablets I had pretty painful cramping--so bad I could barely sit still and I had tears in my eyes--but it only lasted for 45 minutes. I got fairly lightheaded during the heavy cramping, but was not sick to my stomach and did not have fever or chills. I had cramping off and on for about six hours, but apart from those 45 minutes, nothing's been worse than a typical PMS day.
I took medicine for pain (tylenol with codeine and ibuprofen) and for nausea, which seemed to help immensely. I drank lots of water and tried to eat too. I was seven weeks and one day pregnant, and while I did bleed a lot and pass a fair amount of tissue, I didn't have any clots that were abnormally large. I tend to have a lot of clotting in my normal period, so maybe this part didn't seem as bad to me. My boyfriend stayed home with me all day, and got food, water, and blankets for me, so most of the day I was resting.
I'll also post if anything changes. I was scared to take the tablets too after reading some of these stories, but as long as you're in good health, you've thought about your decision, and you're good with keeping up with your pain medicine, you should be fine. Just make sure you stay aware and are ready to call for help is you need it. The women at my clinic were extremely nice and gave me all the phone numbers and information I needed.
Thanks
I have read several of the responses from other women about their side effect and feelings toward the pill, and I admit I was shooken and taken off guard by most of what they were experiencing. Though after reading yours I feel like you put a positive motivation in my heart and got me to focus on the facts not everyones body is the same and not everyone who takes the pill will get the results that they want and some take it better then they expected. I feel much more confident after reading your story and I'm glad that your results are going in your favor.
Thanks For the Pride :)
I'm starting to get really neverous
I have an appointment on Thursday to get the abortion pill. I was feeling fine and not neverous at all until I read some of these stories. I don't want any bad side-affects. I have a very high pain tolerance but I'm not too sure how I can handle major cramps, I my self have never had cramps during my period. I do not want to end up in the hospital. I'm hoping because I am only 19 I won't have a horrible experience.
My (not so bad) experience....
I am a mom but I was really scared not knowing what to expect using the medical abortion pill but it did help to hear all the different stories on here. I first want to say I received the pills at Planned Parenthood and they were the nicest people and made sure you left there with all your questions answered and them letting you know it works 98% of the time and to not be scared. I did not leave there without taking the first pill and they also gave out condoms, antibiotics, lortabs and birth control pills. I was disgusted with a couple of girls who were there that acted like this was just another check up and very surprised that there was about 20 other girls there along with me getting the same thing done that day. I took the first pill there about 11:30 and did not feel anything unusual but I swear after a couple hours after that I did not feel as pregnant anymore. I also took an antibiotic which was instructed. The next night at 9:00pm I took 2 lortabs and anti nausea medication so I wouldn't throw up the pills. 45 minutes later I inserted the 4 pills in my gums for 30 minutes, as instructed and within 10 minutes I started cramping. It was like mild contractions or cramps and got out of bed a couple times within 30 minutes to use the bathroom but all I saw was light blood. About 15 minutes later I got up from the bed and felt really lightheaded and dizzy, I felt almost like I was going to pass out, then all at once i threw everything up. I felt alot better but didn't know if that was expected and if the medicine would work but I called the next day and they said as long as you let them dissolve in your mouth for 30 minutes you're fine. I DID NOT SEE ALOT OF BLOOD AT ALL, only light blood during the whole process and NO BIG BLOOD CLOTS only a very small one, I expected to see large amounts of blood but I didn't! I felt very tired for the next 2 days and on the third day I passed a medium size blood clot, did not expect that but everyones body is different so you just have to go with it. About the 4th day I felt really good and almost back to normal but everyone has to get an appointment to see the doctor after 2 weeks. Every woman has their own choice to make in life and this one was very hard for me, but I know it was for the best.
I am horrified after reading
I am horrified after reading all these stories... I have an appointment next week for the procedure. I already am used to having horrible cramps during period so I hope all goes well. I give props for the bravery of people that have gone through with this. I know how hard of a decision it is to make. I myself am not emotionally or financially stable to be able to care for a baby. Also, around the time of conception, my boyfriend and I had broken up, and I had a alot of drinks one night and carelessly slept with one of my friends. Before I knew I was pregnant, I got back together with my boyfriend (who broke it off with me in the beginning, for anyone who wants to be judgemental) and made the discovery that I was pregnant. Im not sure really who the baby would belong to, but I dont think I could handle the fact of my boyfriend trying to raise a kid that wasnt his. Along with the fact that I am living paycheck to paycheck paying student loans, rent, car payments etc and working a half ass job that is just above the criteria of getting any medical aid. I know this is my own fault and lack of responsibility, but I want to be able to provide my baby with the things it needs when I am stable to do so. I will keep everyone posted on how it goes. All I can do now is cross my fingers and hope for the best.
This was almost my exact experience.
I had the same boyfriend experiences as you, except that I broke up with my ex for a new guy who had more respect for me and I thought it was the new boyfriend's.. but it was the ex's. Luckily the new boyfriend, Jake, has stayed with me and even offered to pay for some of the procedure.
It's all over now; I got the procedure the day before you posted this. It was a truly traumatic experience, mentally and physically, but I think I made the right choice in the long run- the true mistake was having irresponsible sex and getting pregnant, not the abortion itself.
I'd like to know what you decided and how you're doing. It'd be nice to have some support from people in a similar position because the rest of the world can be so judgmental and really doesn't understand. Hopefully whatever you decided, you're in a better place than you were when you were pregnant... I know I am. :)
I went through with it, and I
I went through with it, and I am glad I did, when I went and got the ultrasound it confirmed it was the other guys. Things went smoothly, the only thing that eats at me, is I never told my boyfriend the truth, and this whole time he thought that the baby was his, and that I decided to do it due to financial problems. Thats the worst part about all of this, is that I am covering a lie with a lie. :( But, I dont regret my choice. Had I gone thru with the pregnancy I would have ended up single cuz lord knows he would have broke it off with me. I do wonder what it would have been like if I went through with it. I never got to feel my baby move, or even see the ultrasound. I chose not to look at it. I am happy I can go on with my life, but I will have a part of sadness in my heart around December 26th, when the baby would have been due. I hope everything went ok with you. And good luck with your new life with a guy who treats you well. I am glad you decided to better yourself. Ive had my run in with a few douche bags in my past too. Which why I am 25 and still not completely settled lol.
How far along
PS - A doctor can perform an ultrasound to tell you exactly how far along you are & it might help you be more confident who the father is.
Ultrasound and subtracting
Ultrasound and subtracting the 2 pregnancy weeks they add, put me with being with the other guy (not my boyfriend)So I made the right choice. Due to this, I will NEVER have unprotected sex ever again. PP also got me started on the pill which they gave me the first months subscription for free... which was kinda nice :)
Please look for help
I clicked to have email notification for other posts, so if you want to contact me just post something and let me know. I mean I'm no professional but I found so many sites where assistance is offered to people who are keeping their babies. And surprisingly it's not all for those who want to give up for adoption either. There are a lot of Catholic charities that will actually take you in if you need it or help you financially. I wish so much that I had seen all those sites & actually took the time to look & read a week ago. I'd still have my little baby if I had. If I can help you I feel like it will help me - like I'd be doing it in memory of my little baby & maybe he'd be proud of me and know I regret what I did. Look up "Lumina" "sisters of life" and even just google "pregnancy assistance" But sisters of life & lumina have lines you can call and someone will help you immediately. They're so nice. They will definitely treat you like their own daughter. They know what it's like to face life without your baby and know that you're the one who ended it's little existence and you can just tell that they'd do anything to not let that heppen to you or another woman if it's in their power to help. So please definitely call them or look them up. I wish all the best for you, and wish I were as informed & insightful as you before I made the biggest mistak of my life.
Please Be careful!!
Listen, I just had an abortion. I'm in the same situation as you - paycheck to paycheck with bills that won't go on maternity leave with me if I had the baby. I wish I read a week ago what I've read since. Even though my abortion wasn't as horrific as some I've read about, I wish I could trade and take all the pain in the world to get my baby back. I cry every day. Maybe you won't. But on the chance that you will, please, please look into other options. There is help out there for whomen who think they might not want to go through with abortion. I'm talking financial help, emotional help. You'd be surprised at how many actually KIND people are out there. And not all of them judge. Please make sure you won't feel the way I do. Believe me, because I have to face the reality that there's a vacancy in my life and in my body where my little baby should be.
Other options
There are other options out there for you! You don't have to kill the unborn child. There are many couples who would love to give your child everything you are unable too right now! May god bless you in your decision. And may you not live to regret it.
so my boyfriend and i had
so my boyfriend and i had were having sex he took it out of the vagina before his charge came, then he grabbed a shirt and cleaned it and then insert it back inside my vagina i am scared that i might be pregnant simply because there could of been some left over sperm since he didnt double check he cleaned it properly its only been five days since the sex, but i am young and dont plan on going through if i am pregnant. i cant live with myself i am so anxious to know the truth. I wanna start doing the pill. does somebody think i am pregnant after i explained what happened?
A More Helpful Response
Since the only other reply right now is not very helpful, I thought I'd answer. Withdrawal is not a reliable form of contraception. The fact is, you may have become pregnant even before your boyfriend ejaculated, as there can be tiny amounts of sperm in any semen. If you are currently fertile, then you may have become pregnant, but there is no way to answer that question here. You can pick up a pregnancy test from the grocery store and find out. If you are not pregnant, do not continue to rely upon withdrawal! The pill is a very reliable form of birth control.
Reply
Did you enjoy the pleasure of being fucked. It's depend on the length of penis and depth of your vagina. If you can measure both then devide vagina depth by penis's. If the remainder is more than zero chances are higher for being pregnant :-)
every body responds differently to the medication
Firstly, i think its important that any woman considering an abortion knows that EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT!! There is no telling how your body will respond. You should make an informed decision, and this forum is intended for people to share their own stories, not to pass judgement on others. That said, ill share my story...
I rushed into the decision because i was too scared to face the consequences of having a baby. I have now come to peace with my decision, but i i could turn back time i would keep my baby. I took the first pill at 2:30pm yesterday. I didnt appear to have any side-effects (although after researching today i discovered my sleepless night was a possible side-effect of mifepristone).
Today at 2:30 i put the 4 other tablets between my cheek and gum then swallowed the remainder after half an hour. For about half to an hour i felt bad cramping, a little worse than period pain, which was what i was told to expect. However for the next 2 to 3 hours i was in the most excruciating pain i have ever experienced! I couldnt lay in one spot, i was wriggling around in pain. I vomited, experienced chills and fever and nearly called an ambulance i was in so much pain. At this stage i hadnt bled much. I then sat on the toilet and finally passed some pregnancy tissue (along with plenty of diarrhoea!!). My cramps then returned to 'a little worse than period pain'. A few hours later i am bleeding and have cramping like what i initially expected.
However im extremely upset that i wasnt adequately warned of the pain i would go through. If i could change the past an keep my baby i would, however if i had to choose between medical and surgical, after what i went through i would choose surgery.
If you do opt for a medical abortion, make sure you have strong pain-killers 'just in case'.
pleeease help me
well im 17 and i was stupid and had sex unprotected sex witha boy i dont like or wanna be with n i think im about 8weeks like im way 2 young for a baby ima senior in high school and not ready for that responsibility but i dont know what to do like im sooooo scared to get an abortion but i need to hurry cause i dont want the baby to get any bigger and i know im stupid and dumb for the choices i made but i just cant have a baby please someone give me some good advice
Call them before you make any decisions
You need to speak to someone like face to face or on the phone before you make any decision or else you might regret it. Call a pregnancy hotline or something and make sure you're ABSOLUTELY SURE about your decision befor you commit - no matter what that decision is. And remember that you can't take back the abortion or change your mind once you do it. There is help and there are options and nothing in this world can force a decision on yuo that you are not comfortable with - don't let anything make you feeel forced one way or another. Please.
From someone who will live with her regrets until she dies.
Save yourself and your best years.
Go to planned parenthood and get a surgical or medical abortion. Ur too young to mess your life up. A baby will pretty much at ur age take away the best party years and youthful time of ur life. Enjoy ur life and chose to have a child way later when u are finacially stable and secure in a relationship, otherwise the baby will live a pretty hard life and so will you. Take care+control Christina.
ABORTION
You will never forgive yourself if you abord your baby...carry it to full term and give the baby to a family that will love it. I was 16 when I first got pregnat and actually kept the baby...my life was not a disaster. I promise it will all work out.
Make the Right Decision for YOU
Before making any decision regarding abortion or to keep your baby; make an informed decision. That is the beauty of the internet; google informtion and be fully informed on all your options. There are many honest ladies on here sharing their stories and there are some that are total rubbish trying to turn young people away from making the right decision for themselves. This is your life, don't let religion, family or a partner try to make this decision for you. You are not committing a crime or killing anybody, just be informed and make the best decision for you.
hi
I'm 20 and I just finished taking the second pill and scared out of my wits. and I don't get why some people blame other for taking this route, me...I had to get the abortion the doc said my baby was positioned where it wasn't supposed to be and I have ovarian cyst which doesn't help. I think about killing something I helped create and I've cried non stop for the past week. I have no objection for peole getting the abortion I just had higher expectations of myself. yes ill regret my decision for the rest of my life but I had no choice and a girl who has roommates and only a part time job I saw no way in raising a kid. I just wish things were different for myself thatis all...
Dealing with being 4 weeks
Dealing with being 4 weeks pregnant is not how I imagined my finals week of senior year but it worked out that way. After being done with the abortion procedure I went through a very tough time dealing with my decision. I have just begun to forgive myself and realize I made the best decision for me. My mom and my best friend have been so good bout making me feel that I'm not the evil person I had thought I was.
I'm not condoning what i did but I forgave myself and that is the only way I can heal.
About to take the 2nd pill
I took the first pill on april 26th 10 pm (I am 7 weeks pregnant) I didn't notice much difference. I felt a little bit of nausea but I have been suffering from really bad morning sickness every mornings and nights so it wasn't that bad for me. I had a little cramping but wasn't bad at all. I thought I was supposed to get some light bleeding so I got scared because I am not bleeding at all. But I guess not everyone bleeds after the first pill. I am planning on taking the 2nd pill on 27th after 10 pm. I don't know what I should before taking the medication. People say something light. Also, can I eat something after taking the 2nd pills? I plan on staying the whole night because from reading these stories, most people have heavy bleeding for about 6 hrs after taking the 2nd pill bucally/vaginally.
2nd pill not workin???
ok im really scared i took the 2n pill. 800mg instead of bleeding. i had a seizure n passed out or fell asleep. its been about 3.5 hrs since i took those pills. i have crams but i have a high fever n my hearts beating abnormally fast. does anybody know what is the possible problem? i guess im 8 1/2 weeks pregnant not 7 n i took 2 NDAID pain relievers instead of tylenol cuz i didnt have any when i looked at it,
im so terrified right now
My experience - so far all ok
After reading all these stories I was absolutely terrified about what might happen. For reasons I won't go into I decided on the pill. Made an appointment. Confirmed i was 5 weeks pregnant. Had 1st tablet at about 1.30, I was actually already experiencing morning sickness (unless it was my nerves) but after taking this pill, I felt a little relieved and the nausea seemed to subside and I had a great night sleep, 1st time since I found out.
The following day I was feeling good and in the afternoon i actually had some light spotting. I was beginning to feel petrified about what the night would bring... I decided I would take the 4 tablets around 7pm and go to bed.
5pm I took some Tylenol
6pm had a light meal and neurofen
Something came up so I didn't get to take pills till around 8.30 pm. I let them dissolve for about 30-40 mins.... Almost immediately I had this urge to go to the toilet, so got up and felt a gush... Got to the toilet and this massive clot (about the size of a small apple) fell out. It didn't hurt, was just gross and I misses the toilet and it went down my leg. Over about the next 5hrs had to go to the toilet every 30-60mins. In this time I had about 5-6 more clots. The pain was bearable, just like period pain. I kept on top of pain medication so maybe that helped. I haven't experienced and nausea, chills, fever, dirreaha.
I managed to get about 2 hrs sleep without having to change my pad. It has now been 3.5hrs since going to the toilet. Hopefully that's it for the clots. Worst part is I have had this abortion in secret and my husband does not know (horrible I know, please don't judge, I'm beating myself up enough as it is). I was so scared that the pain would be unbearable and bleeding wouldn't stop.
I'm just praying that it has worked because if it hasn't I can't stand with the lying anymore and not sure how I go about the surgical without causing suspicion.
Any way this is my story... And I hope don't have to come back to say it hasn't worked and/or complications. I am so ashamed of myself for getting me into this situation and whilst I will live with the guilt my whole life, I hope I am still able to conceive.
did ur husband know u were
did ur husband know u were pregnant? im kidna in the same situation!!! tell me how did it end up pleas!
Understandable
I understand about not telling your husband. I've been with my bf for almost 10 years and I am currently 5 weeks pg. I do not planning on telling him about this because I already know what he would say. Since we have the opposite beliefs about this, we would just fight over it. People may say that he has the right, but then I wouldn't have my right because it would more than likely go his way.
"understandable"
Wow, I was in the same situation. I've been w my b/f for 10 yrs when I found out I was preg. I told him and I never would have thought he'd suggest abortion. It never crossed my mind until he suggested it. He also said he'd be there with me if I kept the baby, but it was more like an afterthought and I knew he didn't feel that was the best course of action. I cried every day until the abortion appointment. I finally went through with it, although everything in me was desperately looking for anything or anyone to stand with me and tell me there was another way.
Just the fact that I knew my other half felt abortion was the only & best "option" made me feel so pressured that I made he biggest regret of my life. I would die a thousand deaths to have my baby back. I would do ANYTHING. I still kind of hope the baby's still in there against all odds.
To the poster of "Understandable" If you know you want you little baby, don't let anyone or anything even SAY the word abortion to you without fighting back. I suggest not telling him until the baby is past the point where abortion is legal if that's what it takes. Because you know what? My b/f instantly regretted it. I could see it in his face he was as horrified at what we did as I was devastated. I know he would never make that decision again if he could go back and change it. We're really scarred and hurt and will BOTH live with the tragedy that WE caused by even walking into that clinic. That was where the decision got made - the moment we walked into the clinic it was like an unstoppable event.
Good luck and I hope and pray your b/f understands. And you know what, if he could look at your little baby when you have your first ultrasound or when the baby is born and NOT love him/her and accept & understand your decision, then maybe he isn't who you thought or hoped he'd be all these 10 yrs.
omg the stories have scared
omg the stories have scared the crap out of me urs seems less scary. ive had two abortions and being brought up in a christian home really dont want to go through that again. but from all this i wonder if it isnt as painfull. abortions are expensive also ive had to pay up to 600 dollars. how much was the pill and i cant find any doctor in massachusetts that will prescripe i am only a couple weeks so i want to do something fast before to far into it.
i understand
Hi Leah... I UNDERSTAND. I too am in the same situation as you:(
How are you feeling? Im thinking of doing the same thing
Rachelle
Hey...I'm feeling ok. It has
Hey...I'm feeling ok. It has been the worst 2 weeks of my life!!! Physically Iam all good but emotionally that is a different story! :( Now I am at the stage of undeniable guilt and can't believe what I have done, and can't believe this is what it came too. I can't sleep...I have nightmares of my husband finding out! I think too much... I have even thought about as going as far as moving house...so there is no paper trail. The clinic has all my details and I keep thinking one day an anti-abortionist will come knocking on my door and disclose my secret!! Over active imagination..thinking they are going to break into the clinic and steal all the files!!!..... This is the only way the secret will come out!!!!!!
I guess that is my punishment ... living in constant fear. I am so ashamed :(
There is support
Hi, My experience is a little different - ok a lot different. But the most important similarity is that we both have emotional scars from these experiences and there is help. Look up Lumina or Sisters of Life. I know it sounds like they're going to preach at you, but they didn't do that to me. You can be anonymous I think, although I told them my name. They just give you encouragement to get through this. They'll tell you not to feel ashamed and speak compassionately to you. At least they did for me. They let you talk and tell your story and why you did what you did. You sound like you need someone to talk to. No one needs to go through life feeling the way do. Just the fact that you think you deserve punishment shows how much encourageing you need from someone. And if you can't tell your husband, then you need to get that encouragement from someowhere. Might as well be strangers who will respect your privacy.
Look up Lumina or Sisters of Life. they are really helping me.