What it is: A two-medication process, typically used up to about 10 weeks of pregnancy. The first medication, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone, which a pregnancy needs to continue. The second medication, misoprostol, is taken hours to a day or two later and causes cramping and bleeding to empty the uterus.

What to expect: Most of the process happens at home, not in a medical office. Many women describe the cramping and bleeding as much heavier and more painful than a period. You may pass large clots and tissue, and you may also experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or chills.

Good to know: Before taking the pill, a woman should have an ultrasound to confirm how far along she is and to rule out an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus), which the abortion pill cannot treat and which can be life-threatening.

What it is: A procedure performed in a clinic or hospital. The type depends on how far along the pregnancy is.

• Suction (aspiration) abortion is used in the first trimester. The cervix is opened, and the contents of the uterus are removed using suction. It usually takes about 5 to 15 minutes, though the full visit takes longer.
• Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is used later in pregnancy, typically in the second trimester. It requires the cervix to be opened wider, sometimes over a day or more, and uses both suction and surgical instruments. It is a more involved procedure.

What to expect: Pain relief may range from local numbing to sedation or general anesthesia. Most women experience cramping and bleeding for days or weeks afterward.

Serious physical complications can happen with both types of abortion. They include:

• Heavy bleeding (hemorrhaging) that may require medical treatment[1]
• Injury to the cervix or uterus (with surgical abortion)[2]
• Incomplete abortion, when some tissue remains in the uterus, sometimes requiring a follow-up procedure[3]
• Ongoing pregnancy, a small chance that the medication doesn’t work (with the abortion pill)[3]
• Infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, or reproductive tract[2][4]

Seek emergency care right away if you ever experience very heavy bleeding (soaking through two or more pads an hour for two hours), severe pain that isn’t relieved by medication, fever lasting more than a day, or foul-smelling discharge.

Women respond to abortion in very different ways. Some feel relief. Others feel grief, sadness, guilt, anger, or numbness, sometimes right away and sometimes months or even years later. Some women tell us they didn’t expect to feel the way they did.

Some studies have linked abortion with[5][6]:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem
• Substance abuse
• Suicidal behaviors

If you’re thinking about suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 right away.

Additionally, certain factors are consistently linked with a harder emotional experience afterward:

• Feeling pressured or rushed by a partner, family member, or circumstances
• Feeling unsure or conflicted at the time of the decision
• Having little support from the people around you
• Having a history of depression, anxiety, or past trauma
• Having strong moral or spiritual beliefs that conflict with the decision

If any of these sound familiar, it may be a sign to pause and give yourself more time.