How to Decide Whether to Have An Abortion

Abortion is the use of surgery or medication to remove a fetus from the uterus. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} Although controversial, abortion is still routinely performed and is a safe procedure if performed by a doctor. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} Regardless of whether the pregnancy was planned, unplanned, or accidental, deciding whether or not to have an abortion is always difficult. You can make the best decision for you by doing your own research, talking to your doctor and loved ones, and giving yourself time to think. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Table of Contents

Give decision

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Make sure you are pregnant. Before making the difficult decision about having an abortion, you need to confirm your pregnancy status. You can use a home pregnancy test or see your doctor if you are considering abortion. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

In most cases, if you become pregnant and decide to abort, your doctor will do another test to confirm it.

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Consider your situation. You must think carefully about your personal situation before deciding to have an abortion or talk to others about it. It’s time to think more clearly about the consequences of keeping or aborting the pregnancy without any outside pressure. You should ask yourself questions like: ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Am I ready to be a mother?
Do I have enough money to have and raise a child?
How has having a child impact your life, that of your partner or your family?
Will this pregnancy endanger my physical and mental health?
Should I have an abortion?
What is your moral/moral/religious view of abortion?
Can I cope with the physical and emotional experience of having an abortion?
Am I under pressure to have an abortion? On the contrary, am I under pressure to keep the pregnancy? ^{[6] X Research Source}

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See you doctor. If you suspect you are pregnant or have confirmed it with a test strip, you should make an appointment with your obstetrician-gynecologist. They will advise you on options, including abortion.

They never pressure you to make a decision, but simply provide information about the options available.
If you really want to have an abortion, you should prepare questions to ask your doctor. You should know that if an abortion is performed by a doctor, it is generally safe and will not affect your ability to become pregnant in the future. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Discuss your situation with a loved one. After you’ve had the opportunity to consider the possibility of keeping and aborting the pregnancy, and talking to your doctor, the next step is to discuss things with your loved one. They can help you make the best decision. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Many women feel lonely and alone when they have to make the decision to have an abortion, so you will find empathy when talking with family members about this issue. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do. ^{[10] X Research Source}
If necessary, you can also talk to your partner or other family member.
You should go to the hospital with your partner or loved one if you want.

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Find support from others. In some cases you may not be able to disclose this to your partner or family member, if so you can confide in a close friend or someone trusted to help make the decision.

You will find it more comforting to talk to a friend or even a friend of your friend who has had an abortion or has had to make a similar decision.
Just like with your family, you mustn’t let anyone influence your decisions. Remember that it is your decision, not theirs.
You should remember that you are over 18 years old and do not have to ask anyone’s permission about this, you have full discretion to tell who to tell. ^{[11] X Research Source}
If you are under 18 years old and have an unwanted pregnancy, you must ask your parents or guardians permission before you can terminate the pregnancy. ^{[12] X Research Source}
You can find information about support groups for women after an abortion, and consider attending an in-person meeting with other women who have been through this. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Verify information about the impact of abortion. There is important information and misinformation surrounding abortion and its impact. Therefore you must clarify and absorb accurate information before making a final decision. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If a hospital abortion is performed, it is almost safe and only 1% of cases leave complications. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Abortion does not cause breast cancer, nor does it make a woman more susceptible to it. ^{[16] X Research Source}
Abortion also does not cause “post-abortion syndrome”, a fact that has been confirmed by the American Psychological Association with scientific evidence. ^{[17] X Research Source} Women can experience a variety of emotions after an abortion, but that doesn’t mean they’ve made the wrong decision. ^{[18] X Research Sources} Similarly, abortion does not cause mental problems. ^{[19] X Research Source}
Abortion does not cause infertility and also does not cause miscarriage in the future. ^{[20] X Research Source}
Some doctors or private clinics may provide false information about abortion to prevent you from doing so, ^{[21] X Source of research} so you should research and evaluate any information. which is provided.

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Give decision. After you have had enough information about your options and have talked to someone you trust, you should make a list of the pros and cons of an abortion. Seeing thoughts and feelings clearly on paper helps you make decisions easier. ^{[22] X Research Source}

You need to relax when making a decision, as it seriously affects you, your physical and mental health in general.
You don’t have to make a decision right away, but remember that the health risks of an abortion increase over time, so you should weigh the two properly. In some places the law prohibits abortion after 24 weeks, except in special cases. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

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Remember that this is entirely your decision. It can be helpful and comforting to talk to a loved one, partner or friend about your options, but ultimately the decision to keep or terminate the pregnancy is still your choice. ^{[24] X Research Source}

If you know or are with the child’s father, you may want to seriously consider his opinion.

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Learn about abortion methods. There are several methods of abortion as well as many reasons for this. You need to stay informed about your options, which is the basis for you and your doctor to decide on the best method for you. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

There are two methods of abortion: medication and surgery. ^{[26] X Research Sources}
Abortion can be because the woman doesn’t want to get pregnant, because there’s a risk to the mother’s health, or there’s something very wrong with the developing fetus. ^{[27] X Research Source}
The drug method, that is, without surgery, is performed when the pregnancy is less than seven weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period. Therefore, medical staff will conduct a pre-prescribing examination, the drugs they usually take are mifepristone, methotrexate, misoprostp or a combination of these. ^{[28] X Research Sources}
Take medication as directed. After taking the pill your body begins to expel the fetal tissue, leading to moderate or heavy bleeding, followed by cramping for several hours. ^{[29] X Research Source} When the above symptoms are over you need to see your doctor to make sure your body has expelled all the fetal tissue. ^{[30] X Research Source}
Surgical abortion can be done after the 7th week of pregnancy. The procedure involves dilating the cervix and inserting a small suction tube into it, followed by a suction of the fetus and all related material. ^{[31] X Research Source}
You have to lie on a table with your feet on two supports, they also give you pain relievers during the procedure. ^{[32] X Research Source}
After the procedure is complete, you will need to stay in the recovery area for a few hours. Your doctor will let you know when to go home and give you instructions on how to take care of yourself. You must also return for follow-up visits to make sure the abortion was successful. ^{[33] X Research Sources}

Using Contraception

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Consider your family’s lifestyle and desires. If you do not want to get pregnant, you should use birth control to avoid facing an unwanted pregnancy. There are a number of factors you should consider, such as whether or not you want to have children and when you want to have them, whether you want to take your medicine or not having to remember to take it every day, and also your lifestyle, for example if you have to Do you go to work often? These are the factors that will help you determine the most suitable birth control method for you. ^{[34] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Honestly evaluate yourself, your partner, and your relationship. If you are not in a monogamous relationship this may affect your choice of birth control method. ^{[35] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} For example, if you’re in a long-term relationship and don’t want to have children right away, you can choose a permanent method of birth control such as an IUD. ). If you have multiple sexual partners at the same time, you should take the pill and use a condom to prevent pregnancy and prevent sexually transmitted infections. ^{[36] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
If you’re in a long-term relationship with someone, it’s a good idea to decide with them on the matter to make sure it’s a good fit for both of you.
Think about things like, “Do you want to have to plan every time you have sex?” “Do you want to remember to take your pill every day?” “Do you want to be sterilized forever?” ^{[37] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Learn about birth control methods. There are many different methods of birth control available today, so you should learn enough to choose the right method for you.

A barrier method means you must put on a birth control device before having sex, including male and female condoms, diaphragms, colposcopy, and spermicide. ^{[38] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Used correctly, these methods can reduce the risk of an unwanted pregnancy, but you may also want to use a secondary method for added protection. For example, if you use condoms, the risk rate is 2-18%, which is even lower if you use spermicide. ^{[39] X Research Sources}
Hormonal birth control has a low risk, less than 1-9%, and is a good choice if you’re in a long-term relationship. ^{[40] X Research Sources} Hormonal methods of birth control include the pill, patch, or vaginal ring. ^{[41] X Trusted Source American Cplege of Obstetricians and Gynecpogists Go to the source} Birth control pills also help regulate the menstrual cycle. ^{[42] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Alternatively, you can choose a long-term reproducible method of birth control (LARC) such as an IUD, hormone injection, or an implant. These methods do not affect fertility in the long term. ^{[43] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Sterilization is a permanent way to prevent pregnancy, so it should only be done if you never want to have children. A vasectomy and a vasectomy are also often irreversible, and you must consider carefully before deciding to have it done. ^{[44] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Family Planning (natural birth control) is a way without the use of drugs and immediate measures such as condoms. You can choose this option if you can’t or don’t want to use other methods. For natural birth control you must check your cervical mucus and basal body temperature, or ejaculate outside the vagina. ^{[45] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source} This is a method that requires careful planning and dedication, but is inexpensive and has no side effects. ^{[46] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Learn the potential risks of birth control methods. Each method has certain risks, the most common of which is an unwanted pregnancy. So being aware of the risks and side effects will help you find the most suitable remedy.

Hormonal birth control, such as the pill, patch, or vaginal ring, makes you more likely to develop certain cancers with long-term use. It also causes weight gain, increases blood pressure and affects cholesterol levels. ^{[47] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Barrier methods such as condoms, spermicide, and colposcopy can cause allergies, increase the risk of urinary tract infections or STIs. ^{[48] X Trusted Source American Cplege of Obstetricians and Gynecpogists Go to source}
Repeatable long-term methods of birth control have some risks such as uterine perforation, increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy, as well as pain and heavy bleeding during menstruation. ^{[49] X Trusted Source American Cplege of Obstetricians and Gynecpogists Go to source}
There are no medically specific risks to natural birth control, but you’re more likely to get pregnant because it’s not as effective as other methods. ^{[50] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Make the final decision. After learning about the different methods of contraception, you can make the most appropriate choice based on that information. Not only should you discuss this with your partner, but you should also consult with your doctor, as he or she will be the one to prescribe birth control pills, perform LARC birth control, or have sterilization if you choose to use one of these methods.

Steps

Give decision

Using Contraception

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