Am I Eligible for the Abortion Pill?

April 1, 2024

Determining your eligibility for medical procedures protects your health and helps you stay informed about drugs’ side effects and risks. Learning about the abortion pill before making a pregnancy decision is a critical step. 

Abortion in Arkansas is illegal except when a provider has deemed it necessary to save the woman’s life. This means that most women must travel out of state for an abortion procedure. 

Get the facts before deciding. Elevate Women’s Center provides no-cost pre-abortion screenings. Your well-being is the highest priority, and we’ll confirm essential pregnancy information and ensure you have the details needed to make a confident decision.

Understanding the Facts

First and foremost, the FDA has approved abortion pill drugs through 10 weeks gestation. Taking these drugs after this time may be ineffective and result in certain risks to your health. 

Moreover, the abortion pill (or medical abortion) actually consists of two drugs. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, and misoprostol causes uterine contractions that expel the pregnancy and associated tissue from your body. 

You’ll always have abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding with this abortion method. But risks like infection, fever, and more can occur. And if you take these drugs when you’re ineligible, you could risk complications. 

You may not be able to take abortion drugs if any of the following applies:

• Have an intrauterine device (IUD) 
• Have a suspected ectopic pregnancy
• Have certain medical conditions (i.e., bleeding disorders, certain heart or blood vessel diseases, severe liver, kidney, or lung disease, or an uncontrolled seizure disorder)
• Take a blood thinner or specific steroid medicines
• Can’t make follow-up visits to your provider or don’t have access to emergency care
• Have an allergy to the drugs used

How Do I Know if I’m Eligible?

Speak to your medical provider before deciding on an abortion. They can review your eligibility, conduct a physical exam, review your health history, and answer any questions. 

Receiving an ultrasound is another crucial step. A limited ultrasound is a part of our pre-abortion screening. It confirms your pregnancy’s viability (whether it is growing normally and has a heartbeat), gestation (how far along you are), and location. 

Don’t skip these steps; your health matters. 

Book a no-cost appointment today at Elevate Women’s Center. We’re here for you.