Health Topics
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/abortion.html
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.
Learn More
- Abortion Care (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- D and C (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- 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) Also in Spanish
- Ending a Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Know Your Rights: Reproductive Health Care (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish
- Medical Abortion (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- 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) Also in Spanish
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Early national trends in non-abortion reproductive care access after Roe.
- Article: Determinants of unintended pregnancy and induced abortion among adolescent women in...
- Article: Safety and effectiveness evaluation of a uterine direct visualization system in...
- Abortion -- see more articles
Patient Handouts
- Abortion - surgical - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.