If you are facing an unexpected pregnancy, you may want to understand your options before you decide anything. Learning how abortion works is a reasonable place to start, and you deserve clear, accurate information without any pressure.
At Aid for Women, you can schedule a no-cost, confidential appointment to confirm your pregnancy and get your questions answered.
Two Main Types
There are two main types of abortion: medical and surgical. Which one is available to you depends on how far along you are, so knowing that first can help you understand what you are actually looking at.
Medical Abortion
A medical abortion uses two medications to end an early pregnancy. The first, mifepristone, blocks progesterone, a hormone the pregnancy needs to continue.
The second medication, misoprostol, follows about a day or two later. It softens the cervix and causes the uterus to contract, which empties it. The FDA has approved this method through 10 weeks of pregnancy, counted from the first day of your last period.
Cramping and bleeding are part of how the process works, and some also feel nausea, chills, or a fever from the second medication.
Possible risks include heavy bleeding, infection, or an incomplete abortion that may need a follow-up procedure. Knowing how far along you are matters here, since the timing affects whether this option is available and what to expect.
Surgical Abortion
A surgical abortion happens in a clinic rather than at home. Early in pregnancy, it usually involves suction to empty the uterus after the cervix is opened.
Later in pregnancy, the procedure may also use medical instruments in addition to suction. Possible risks include infection, heavy bleeding, or injury that requires further care.
What Illinois Law Says
In Illinois, abortion is legal up to the point of fetal viability, which a doctor determines and which generally falls around 24 weeks. After that point, the law allows it only when a doctor finds it necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.
Because these timelines depend on how far along you are, confirming your pregnancy is a practical first step.
Where Aid for Women Fits
Aid for Women does not provide or refer for abortion, but we can help you get accurate information and clear answers. Our nurses offer no-cost pregnancy testing and ultrasound so you can confirm your pregnancy and find out how far along you are.
An ultrasound also checks that the pregnancy is in the uterus, which is important to know before you consider any option. You can talk through what you are feeling in a confidential setting, and you do not have to have everything figured out before you come in.
You Get to Decide
Understanding how each option works can help you feel more confident about your next step, whatever you choose. Only you can make this decision, and you deserve support while you do.
Schedule a no-cost, confidential appointment to confirm your pregnancy and get your questions answered.