Abortion

Summary

An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It can be done two different ways:

• Medication abortion, which uses medicines to end the pregnancy. It is sometimes called a “medical abortion” or “abortion with pills.”
• Procedural abortion, a procedure to remove the pregnancy from the uterus. It is sometimes called a “surgical abortion.”

If you are thinking of having an abortion, talk with your health care provider. Your provider can explain how the procedures are done, as well as the risks and benefits of each.

Encyclopedia

• Abortion – medical Medical Encyclopedia
• Abortion – surgical Medical Encyclopedia
• D and C Medical Encyclopedia
• Ending pregnancy with medicines Medical Encyclopedia

Patient Handouts

• Abortion – surgical – aftercare Medical Encyclopedia

Learn More

• Abortion Care American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Dilation and curettage (D&C) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Elective Abortion: Does It Affect Subsequent Pregnancies? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Ending a Pregnancy American Academy of Family Physicians
• Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care Department of Health and Human Services
• Medical Abortion Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Pregnancy Choices: Raising the Baby, Adoption, and Abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Questions and Answers on Mifepristone for Medical Termination of Pregnancy Through Ten Weeks Gestation Food and Drug Administration
• What to Do When Your Pregnancy Is Unexpected American Academy of Family Physicians

Journal Articles

• Induced abortion