This Is What Actually Happens When You Have an Abortion.
You probably have an opinion about abortion, but do you know what the procedure actually involves? This video explains commonly used procedures and corrects some misconceptions you may have learned in the process.
In the early stages of pregnancy, you can take a course of medications that cause the uterus to force out the pregnancy. ( According to the CDC, this accounts for 22 percent of all abortions.)
Until about 16 weeks, another option is to dilate the cervix and remove the contents, either by vacuum aspiration or with instruments such as a curette, best known as “D&C” or dilation and curettage.
For later abortions, up to 24 weeks, a “D&E” or dilation and evacuation procedure is performed in which the contents of the uterus are removed.
Despite all the political controversy over late term abortions, only 1 percent of abortions occur after 21 weeks, and the majority of abortions – 92 percent – occur in the first trimester. Watch the video to learn more about these treatments and some of the myths surrounding them.
What Really Happens When You Have an Abortion? | Science as soon as possible