The Dangers of DIY Abortion

From YouTube tutorials on how to refinish old furniture to detailed Pinterest guides on homemade soap making, the DIY (“Do It Yourself”) trend has taken the internet by storm in recent years. DIY is seen as a way to save money and avoid paying someone to do what you can do yourself. While this trend is of course a net positive in many ways, there is one key area we do not recommend applying the DIY principle to - and that is abortion.

Today we are going to discuss DIY abortion, also known as self-managed abortion, self-administered abortion, or at-home abortion.

With recent changes in laws regarding abortion, as well as the increased cost of abortion, there has been an increase in the amount of women who opt to skip seeing a medical provider and instead perform abortions themselves via alternative methods, as opposed to the traditional in-clinic or medication abortion ₍₁₎.

These alternative methods may include:

• High doses of supplements like vitamin C ₍₃₎
• High doses of herbs like parsley ₍₃₎
• High doses over-the-counter medications that are not recommended during pregnancy like ibuprofen or certain antibiotics ₍₃₎
• Ingesting certain essential oils that are thought to have abortifacient effects ₍₂₎
• Substances that are not recommended during pregnancy such as alcohol ₍₃₎
• Multiple birth control pills taken at one time ₍₃₎
• Insertion of a foreign object up the vagina and into the uterus ₍₃₎
• Abdominal trauma ₍₃₎

The list goes on, and there are unfortunately many discussion boards and social media posts that continually suggest or recommend more “alternative” ways to end your pregnancy yourself, in the comfort of your own home and without the intervention of a medical provider.

So what’s wrong with DIY abortion?

1. None of these methods have been shown to be effective in terminating an existing pregnancy ₍₃₎. 
2. All of these methods have potential risks and consequences to your health and the health of your baby _{(1) (2) (3)}.

What are the risks?

Many of the methods previously listed may be somewhat effective in affecting a woman’s pregnancy or a baby in the womb, however they are not proven to result in a complete abortion. This means using them carries the risk of an incomplete abortion. An incomplete abortion means that not all parts of the baby or placenta are expelled and are instead left behind in a woman’s body. This can lead to serious infection if not treated with surgery or medication ₍₄₎.

By trying to avoid going and seeing a medical professional, many women unintentionally land in the emergency room or clinic needing immediate intervention after attempting ineffective and unsafe at-home abortion methods ₍₁₎.

In addition to the risk of incomplete abortion and infection, there is also the risk of toxicity from too high of a dosage of herbs, supplements, or medications. Taking more than a recommended or prescribed allowance of herbs or supplements or medications can overwhelm your liver and/or kidneys (the two main organs responsible for filtering your blood) and lead to a buildup of these substances in your blood. This can potentially be fatal ₍₇₎.

These substances can also negatively interact with any other medications you may be taking and lead to additional side effects ₍₇₎.

Severe bleeding or hemorrhaging is also a risk with some of the DIY abortion methods, especially those involving the insertion of a foreign object up into the uterus in an effort to remove a baby from the uterine wall. There is severe risk of bleeding as well as scarring from this method that can leave lasting effects on a woman’s future health and fertility ₍₄₎.

You have options, and resources are available to you.

Many women reportedly choose to try to manage or administer their own abortions at home because they feel they have no other option ₍₃₎. If you are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy and are considering abortion, you have options and resources available to you. You are not alone.

One resource to start with is an Abortion Health and Safety Checklist ₍₆₎. This outlines the things to do and know prior to having an abortion. One of the first things that is recommended is to confirm your pregnancy with a medical-grade pregnancy test, as well as obtain an ultrasound to determine how far along in your pregnancy you are and rule out ectopic pregnancy or other preexisting conditions that may affect the options that are available to you ₍₅₎.

Paulding Pregnancy Services offers both of these services confidentially and at no cost to you. Schedule an initial pregnancy test appointment with us here, or call 770-222-6911. We are here to help inform you about the resources available to you and connect you to the professional help you need.


*The information contained in this blog is for educational and informative purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice and care of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.*

Sources:
(1) Self-managed Abortion in Texas - PMC (nih.gov)
(2) Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents - PMC (nih.gov)
(3) “I’ll just deal with this on my own”: A Qualitative Exploration of Experiences with Self-Managed Abortion in the United States | Reproductive Health | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
(4) Incomplete Miscarriage - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
(5) Before & After a Medication Abortion | At Home Abortion Facts
(6) Abortion Health & Safety Checklist | At-Home Abortion Facts (athomeabortionfacts.com)
(7)Using Dietary Supplements Wisely | NCCIH (nih.gov)