This abortion care resource highlights different types of abortion, access to abortion care after the fall of Roe v. Wade, and ways to support abortion seekers. It is brought to you by Danielle Bezalel (Sex Ed with DB) & Reproductive Health Lawyer, Cathren Cohen. Updates provided by Iva Markicevic Daley, a communications professional in the abortion space.
Abortion is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy–in fact, abortion is statistically safer than childbirth. There are various kinds of abortions–including medication abortion, suction/vacuum aspiration, dilation and curettage (D&C), and dilation and evacuation (D&E)–and the right one for you will depend on how far along in your pregnancy you are and what you are comfortable with.
Tell me more about medication abortion.
The “abortion pill” actually consists of two medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. Abortion pills can be administered in clinics or mailed to pregnant people to use at home. (While abortion pills by mail are available in all 50 states, it is important to check the laws in your state regarding self managing an abortion to know your legal risk.)
Medication abortion starts with one tablet of mifepristone taken on day one of the abortion. Mifepristone stops the pregnancy from growing by blocking progesterone. The second medication, misoprostol, is taken up to 72 hours later. Four pills of misoprostol are placed against the cheek or under the tongue to complete the abortion. Misoprostol causes cramping and expels the pregnancy out of the uterus, through the cervix, and out of the vagina. Effectiveness depends on how far along the pregnancy is but can work up to 11 weeks of pregnancy.
Medication abortions may take up to 24 hours to be completed. It’s possible to still test positive on a pregnancy test 4 to 5 weeks after taking the abortion pills, so medical providers recommend that folks call them if they do so they can help.
What are the kinds of abortion procedures performed exclusively in clinics?
There are three kinds of abortion procedures that are performed exclusively in clinics. The first is a suction abortion, or vacuum aspiration which can be used to terminate a pregnancy up to approximately 11 weeks after last period. The uterus is emptied out using a gentle suction which can result in minor cramps. Pain medication is usually used to decrease pain and cramps during and after the procedure.
Next, there is a dilation and curettage abortion (D&C). This method is similar to vacuum aspiration with the addition of an instrument (curette) that assures the complete emptying of the uterus. Pain medication is usually used to decrease pain and cramps during and after the procedure.
Finally, there is dilation and evacuation (D&E), which can be used for abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy. D&E uses suction and instruments to assure the complete emptying of the uterus. Gestational limits for D&E depend on state law, so check out the laws in your state, or the state where you are seeking care, to see if you can access a D&E abortion.Pain and numbing medications, and potentially sedation, are used with a D&E abortion.
What are the negative impacts of abortion bans?
Research shows that abortion bans lead to negative outcomes. We dive into them in our podcast episode “The Turnaway Study with Dr. Diana Greene Foster,” which you can listen to here.
The TL;DR summary of that study:
- ABORTION DOES NOT HARM PEOPLE WITH UTERUSES.
- Abortion seekers are confident in their decision.
- People seek abortions for many reasons.
- Being denied an abortion reduces financial security and safety.
- When people have control over the timing of their pregnancies, children benefit.
The study is a reminder that the negative outcomes anti-abortion extremists warn us about are fear-mongering. In reality, it is being denied abortion care that leads to negative outcomes. And when abortion is banned, criminalization–especially in BIPOC and poor communities–becomes an additional, devastating consequence.
No one should be denied–or punished for–exercising their right to bodily autonomy. While Roe v. Wade made abortion legal, it did not make access a guarantee. In this post-Roe world, we must fight for not only legality but access–to abortion, contraception, and comprehensive sex education.
What do I do if I need an abortion?
Even if you live in a ban state, you can order abortion pills online to self-manage your abortion at home or travel out of state for abortion care.
That being said, it’s important to know that people have been criminalized for self-managing their abortions. This has usually happened because they told someone and that person reported them or they sought medical care after taking the abortion pill and a healthcare worker reported them.
The following are free resources that can help you determine your legal risk as well as resources for how to mitigate that risk or, worst case scenario, navigate legal trouble.
- For answers to legal questions from a lawyer: Repro Legal Helpline
- For financial assistance if you’re criminalized and need help paying to fight the charges: Repro Legal Defense Fund
- For medical advice while self-managing an abortion or experiencing a miscarriage: Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline
- For nonjudgmental after-abortion support from peer counselors: Exhale Pro-Voice
You can learn how to order abortion pills online from Plan C, Aid Access, I Need An A, or Abortion Finder. If you would prefer an in-clinic abortion, you can find your nearest provider on I Need An A or Abortion Finder.
Why is it important to be an active advocate for abortion access right now?
While the fall of Roe v. Wade will make abortion access even more difficult than it has historically been, it’s important to remember that there has ALWAYS BEEN and will ALWAYS BE abortion. People with uteruses have been figuring out how to make the best reproductive health decisions for themselves for thousands of years, and with the science and technology we have today, abortion can, does, and will continue to happen safely in the privacy of people’s homes.
That being said, I want to share the framework of Reproductive Justice, which was introduced in 1994 by The Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice. SisterSong, a leading Reproductive Justice organization, (a reproductive health organisation in Atlanta, Georgia) defines Reproductive Justice as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” This is what all people need and deserve.
What can I do to support abortion access?
If you can, donating to abortion funds or independent abortion clinics is the biggest help, as these organizations depend on donations to stay open and able to provide care. The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) lists all their member funds here, while Keep Our Clinics takes all donations and distributes them among independent clinics for expenses like new medical equipment, legal challenges, clinic security, and more.
If money is tight right now, use your social media platforms to uplift abortion information and resources. Because misinformation is easy to spread on social media, make sure you are only amplifying vetted sources. These include abortion funds (see NNAF member directory), independent clinics (see Abortion Care Network member directory), and organizations like
- Abortion Access Front
- Abortion Care Network
- Abortion, Every Day
- Abortion Finder
- Aid Access
- Carafem
- Hey Jane
- If/When/How
- I Need An A
- Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline
- National Network of Abortion Funds
- Plan C
- Repro Legal Defense Fund
- SisterSong
You can also find us, Sex Ed with DB, on socials, your fave podcast streaming platforms, and online!
