If you have taken the abortion pill and are still experiencing pregnancy symptoms, you may be shocked, concerned, and wondering what to do next.
An ongoing pregnancy can occur after a medical abortion. Following up with your healthcare provider can determine whether the abortion was complete or whether your pregnancy is continuing.
If you have not yet made a pregnancy decision, Arise Center for Women offers limited obstetric ultrasounds to confirm your pregnancy and can discuss your options. We’re here for you.
Schedule a no-cost appointment today, and continue reading to learn what to do if the abortion pill did not end your pregnancy.
Signs the Abortion Pill May Not Have Worked
The abortion pill is also known as a medical abortion and involves taking two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks progesterone, a hormone that supports the continuation of the pregnancy. The second drug, misoprostol, causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy through abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding.
If you are still experiencing pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea, breast tenderness, or fatigue, this could indicate the abortion pill hasn’t worked. However, symptoms alone cannot confirm whether the pregnancy is continuing.
Other signs the abortion pill may not have worked include:
- No bleeding 24 hours after taking misoprostol
- Continuing pregnancy symptoms
- The absence of a period for two months after the abortion
If you are having any of the above symptoms, the next step is to get a medical evaluation from your healthcare provider. They may perform an ultrasound to determine whether the pregnancy is continuing and whether cardiac activity is present.
Seek Emergency Care
Some symptoms after taking the abortion pill can indicate a serious complication and require immediate medical attention.
Seek emergency medical care if you experience:
- Very heavy vaginal bleeding, such as soaking through two full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours
- Severe abdominal or pelvic pain that does not improve
- Fainting or severe dizziness
- A fever or chills that persist
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
- Feeling severely weak or unwell
These symptoms can indicate complications such as heavy blood loss or infection.
Severe or one-sided abdominal or pelvic pain, dizziness, fainting, or weakness can also be warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy develops outside the uterus and requires urgent medical treatment. The abortion pill cannot treat an ectopic pregnancy.
If you took the abortion pill without having an ultrasound first, an ectopic pregnancy may have gone undetected.
If you think you may be experiencing a medical emergency, contact your healthcare provider immediately or go to the nearest emergency department.
Understand Your Options
If a pregnancy continues after taking the abortion pill, you may want to consider your other options: parenting and adoption.
The idea of parenting may raise a lot of questions, but with the right support, you may feel more confident to pursue it. Arise Center for Women offers material assistance (diapers, wipes, baby clothes), community referrals, and one-on-one mentoring and emotional support.
Adoption is another option if you want to continue your pregnancy but do not feel ready to parent. Nowadays, there are different adoption plans you can choose from depending on how much contact you want to keep with your child.
We’re here to help you understand your options and answer any questions so you can feel confident about your next steps.
We’re Here to Help
If you suspect you are still pregnant after taking the abortion pill, the first thing you should do is reach out to your healthcare provider.
If your healthcare provider confirms that your pregnancy is still ongoing, we are here to support you throughout this pregnancy. Whether you need our no-cost pregnancy services or someone to talk to about your options, our door is open.
You are not alone. Contact us to make your appointment at our center.
Arise Center for Women does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
