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Summary
An induced abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It can be done two different ways:
- Medication abortion (also called medical abortion)
- Procedural abortion
An induced abortion is different from a spontaneous abortion. That is the loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy. It is more commonly known as a miscarriage.
If you are thinking of having an induced 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)
- Could an Elective Abortion Raise the Risk of Problems in a Future Pregnancy? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- D and C (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dilation and curettage (D&C) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- 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)
Patient Handouts
- Abortion - procedure - 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.