If you want to know about pregnancy termination methods, two of the most common ones are medical abortion and surgical abortion. To choose between the two or know which one would suit you the most, it is vital to understand how they work, the effects associated with them, and what personally meets your criteria for safety, privacy, and pregnancy circumstances. In this post, we will take you through a detailed comparison of medical abortion vs. surgical abortion.
What is Medical Abortion?
A non-invasive method to end a pregnancy via pills is suitable for conceptions within the initial 10 weeks, or at the most 12 weeks. Here, you take Mifepristone 200mg (Mifeprex or Generic RU486 pill) and Misoprostol 200mcg x 4 pills (Cytotec) at home (no admission to hospital necessary) to self-initiate a natural miscarriage. While Mifepristone 200mg pill blocks the progesterone hormone and stops the pregnancy by shedding the endometrial lining, Misoprostol 200mcg tablet ripens the cervix and leads to uterine contractions. Together, the abortion pills expel the pregnancy, a process that takes a few days.
Learn more about medical abortion here.
What is Surgical Abortion?
Three types of invasive processes end a pregnancy. These include dilation and curettage (D&C) and vacuum aspiration for first-trimester pregnancies, while for second-trimester conceptions, the most preferred termination method is dilation and evacuation (D&E). In a surgical abortion, the uterus is evacuated of all the pregnancy tissues using instruments or suction. The treatment is performed by trained professionals and done in a clinical setting.
Learn more about surgical abortion here.
Key Differences Between Medical and Surgical Abortion
Here is how a medical abortion and a surgical abortion differ from each other:
Procedure
A medical abortion procedure is executed by taking abortion pills, while a surgical pregnancy termination happens in a hospital with the use of clinical instruments. In an invasive procedure, you may be administered anesthesia, and then the cervix is dilated before suction or clinical tools are used to remove the pregnancy. Whereas, in a medical abortion, you take Mifepristone orally first, and after 24 to 48 hours, take Misoprostol buccally or vaginally for the uterus to contract and purge the pregnancy.
Duration
A surgical abortion process takes 10 to 30 minutes to complete. You can go home the same day from the clinic after initial observation, especially if the pregnancy is in the first trimester. If the pregnancy is in the second trimester, you may have to stay for a day or a few hours in the clinic for additional observation. However, a medical abortion, since done at home, does not need professional monitoring. But it can take a few more days (24 to 72 hours or more after administration of all the abortion pills) for the pregnancy to end.
Effectiveness and Risks
Both surgical abortion procedure and medical abortion process are effective with a high success rate. While abortion pills (success rate 95% to 99%) have a small chance of failing, leading to incomplete termination and medical intervention later on, a surgical abortion has a chance of injury to the uterine organs. There is an increased risk of cramping and bleeding for both of these methods, in some cases.
Recovery Time
Since surgical abortion ends sooner, the recovery time is shorter (a day) compared to medical abortion (a day or two to recover so that you can perform light tasks). What matters is the management of post-abortion effects and expectations for both these cases, i.e., bleeding, pain, nutrition, rest, physical hard work, etc. The better you take care of your health, the sooner you can expect to heal.
Which is Better: Surgical Abortion or Medical Abortion?
There is no specific standard for what is between these pregnancy termination procedures. Choosing ‘better’, thus, is entirely based on individual factors such as number of pregnancy weeks, pregnancy location (inside or outside the uterus), overall health, medical condition, personal preference, etc. For instance, for an early pregnancy in 10 weeks, a medical abortion is often a preferable method as one can take the abortion pills at home without the invasion of privacy or the need to go under surgical instruments.
Similarly, if the pregnancy is extrauterine, the surgical methods work the best. Also, if the pregnancy is beyond 12 weeks, an invasive technique is more feasible than abortion pills. Talking about the pros and cons of these procedures, in a medical abortion, there is no use of tools, anesthesia, or clinical supervision. Whereas, for a surgical abortion, the pregnancy removal is quicker, the whole process is conducted under the eye of a trained surgeon, and anesthesia helps with pain numbing.
Cost Comparison for Both Abortion Methods
Here is a brief take on how much a medical abortion costs in comparison to a surgical abortion:
The exact expense of abortion be it through abortion pills or surgery, depends on the provider, location, and resources available. For instance, you can buy abortion pill online and it will cost as low as $200 compared to $500 to $2000 or more (if it is a second-trimester abortion).
A medical abortion performed in a clinic can cost $300 to $800 in the United States. So, many prefer to order abortion pill online for early pregnancy instead, even over surgical abortion because it is not invasive, but rather safe, at-home, and you get complete control over the procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Abortion Procedures
Here are the common FAQs about medical abortion and surgical abortion:
What is the difference between medical and surgical abortion?
The key distinction between a medical and surgical abortion is the use of abortion pills (medical method) and the use of surgical tools or instruments (invasive method). While the surgical process takes 10 to 30 minutes, the medical process takes 24 to 72 hours.
Which abortion method is safer?
Both surgical and medical abortion are safer. However, if you do not want to risk uterine injury, perforation, or infection from equipment, then a medication method is preferable. On the other hand, an abortion pill carries a small risk of prolonged bleeding and hormonal shift effects.
Is medical abortion less painful than surgical abortion?
A medical abortion involves abdominal pain and cramping from uterine contractions caused by Misoprostol (Cytotec) pills. You can take pain-relieving medicine to manage these effects. A surgical abortion also leads to some cramping. The doctor will administer anesthesia to manage these outcomes.
Which is more effective: medical or surgical abortion?
A medical abortion and surgical abortion have 95% or over success rate. Both are effective. However, if you need more privacy and a discreet way of ending an unplanned pregnancy early, then a medical abortion could be more useful, as it does not require clinical admission.
Can I choose between medical and surgical abortion?
Yes, you can choose between a surgical and medical abortion if you are medically eligible for both. Apart from personal preference, you may have to opt between these methods, depending on other factors like the gestational age, overall health, medical conditions, pregnancy scenario, etc.
What is the cost difference between medical and surgical abortion?
A medical abortion is less expensive (as low as $199) compared to a surgical abortion ($500 to $2000, or higher). You can buy abortion pills online to lower your expenses further and get the pills delivered by mail or post, straight to your address.
Which abortion method has faster recovery?
A surgical abortion linked pain is managed through anesthesia and pain-relievers. Moreover, it takes no more than half an hour to complete. Thus, you get more time on hand to recover. However, in a medical abortion, the dosage is step-by-step and happens over 3 days. After which, the pregnancy starts to be expelled, and thus, it may take a longer time to recover from.
Up to how many weeks can a medical vs. surgical abortion be done?
A medical abortion is valid for intrauterine pregnancies that are within the first 12 weeks of gestation. However, a surgical abortion is preferable after 4 weeks and up to 24 weeks (depending on the period allowed by local regulations).