Maryland must comply with the FDA-approved use of the abortion pill method. A woman’s approval for the use of the abortion drugs is through 70 days of gestation (70 days or less since the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period).
What Is The Abortion Pill?
There are two types of abortion, medication and surgical. The abortion pill is a medication abortion method using two drugs to end a pregnancy.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy in the uterus from absorbing progesterone. The pregnancy can no longer survive without progesterone, and it’s terminated.
Misoprostol is the second drug. This drug is taken 24 to 48 hours after the first one. It causes cramping, contractions, and bleeding to remove the pregnancy from a woman’s body.
Do You Know How Far Along You Are?
Knowing the date your pregnancy began indicates whether you are eligible for the abortion pill method. Since the exact time of ovulation (when you are most likely to get pregnant) changes from month to month, it’s hard to determine, especially if your periods are irregular.
Women can only use the abortion pill method through 10 weeks of pregnancy (70 days). Research suggests the later your pregnancy, the less effective this method is, and you could have an incomplete abortion.
Where Can You Get The Drugs?
According to the FDA, “Healthcare providers who would like to become certified to prescribe Mifeprex (mifepristone) must have the ability to date pregnancies accurately and to diagnose ectopic pregnancies.”
An ectopic pregnancy means the developing embryo implants outside the uterus, often in the Fallopian tubes. It is dangerous for an ectopic pregnancy to continue growing somewhere other than the uterus.
How Do You Determine Eligibility?
Ultrasound is the best way to discover how long you have been pregnant and if your pregnancy is ectopic. Through an ultrasound exam, the technician measures the development of the pregnancy to determine the gestational age (how far along you are).
The technician can also locate the pregnancy to know if it’s ectopic or in the uterus. Since up to 20% of known pregnancies end in a natural miscarriage, the ultrasound shows if the pregnancy is viable (developing) or you’ve miscarried.
Your Next Step
Before obtaining the abortion pill, you need an ultrasound. We offer free viability ultrasounds or referrals for diagnostic ultrasound at the Women’s Clinics Maryland.
Our viability ultrasound determines how far along you are, the location of your pregnancy, and if you’ve had a miscarriage. Schedule an appointment with Women’s Clinics Maryland for free pregnancy testing and a free ultrasound. We’ll get you the information you need.