Abortion Information

Are you considering abortion? We are here to empower you to make an informed decision about your pregnancy through our free, confidential resources. Even though we don’t provide or refer for abortions, there are several reasons you should consider making an appointment at Birth Choice.

First, abortion is a medical or surgical procedure. If you are considering abortion, you need to know what will happen during the procedure, the side effects, and potential risks just like you would any other procedure. That is why we provide accurate, up to date facts and information on abortion to empower you to make an informed decision. This information includes procedure types (medical vs. surgical abortion), pain and side effects (during and after the procedure), and risks (physical, emotional, and relational).

The abortion pill (medical abortion), also known as Plan C (which has been available in the US since 2000), can be used up to 10 weeks gestation. The process begins with the confirmation of pregnancy, which includes a positive pregnancy test and ultrasound to determine gestational age and viability. This will determine if the fetus is in the uterus and has a heartbeat. Additionally, 10% to 20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage; if you miscarry the abortion pill would not be necessary. We can provide you with a free ultrasound confirmation at each of our clinics.

The next step involves taking a series of pills. The first pill works by blocking the effects of progesterone, the hormone which aids in the fetus’ growth and development. Two days later, you take the second pill which works by causing contractions in order to deliver the deceased fetus. This is also called self-managed abortion. To learn more about the abortion pill, please read our blog post The Abortion Pill: What You Need to Know.

*CAUTION: The abortion pill (or Plan C) is NOT recommended and can be dangerous if you have a tubal pregnancy. The abortion pill (Plan C) is also not recommended for women whose last menstrual cycle is greater than 10 weeks.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “as of December 31, 2018, there were reports of 32 deaths of women associated with the abortion pill since the product was approved in September 2000, including two cases of ectopic pregnancy resulting in death; and several cases of severe systemic infection (also called sepsis), including some that were fatal.” An FDA report states that over 4,000 women in the U.S. have been injured taking the abortion pill.

Women should not take the abortion pill with an ectopic pregnancy, an IUD, signs of pelvic infection, an allergy to the abortion pill or Cytotec, a previous C-section, with high blood pressure, asthma, or if they are on blood thinners.

If you take the first pill and change your mind about abortion, it may not be too late. It is possible if given the proper care in enough time, the abortion pill can be reversed. Are you in this situation? If so, you can call the Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline at 877.588.0333.

All elective, induced abortions are competently illegal in Tennessee, meaning that prescribing the abortion pill, even over telemedicine, is illegal as well. Buying the abortion pill online may be legal in some states, but it is illegal in the State of Tennessee. It is also illegal to mail the abortion pill to a home address in Tennessee. The National Food and Drug Administration still warns against purchasing the abortion pill and its generic versions over the Internet. Prescription medications are powerful substances, and the abortion pill is no exception. The FDA says the abortion pill “and its approved generic have special safety restrictions on how it is distributed to the public. Also, drugs purchased from foreign Internet sources are not the FDA-approved versions of the drugs, and they are not subject to FDA-regulated manufacturing controls or FDA inspection of manufacturing facilities.”

In fact, the FDA cautions against buying any prescription online. Be sure to read their guidelines for buying prescription medication online. When trying a new medication, the FDA recommends talking with your doctor and getting a physical exam first. And then “use ONLY medicine that has been prescribed” by a doctor who is licensed in the U.S. to prescribe medicines.

According to the FDA guidelines, any website selling prescriptions should also be located in the U.S. and be licensed by the state board of pharmacy. It should require a prescription from your doctor or a doctor licensed in the U.S. There should also be a licensed pharmacist to answer questions and someone to talk to if complications arise.

Unfortunately, some online abortion pill providers are still able to sell in the U.S. by obtaining licenses in other countries. That is unsafe and kind of…sketchy.

There are some shady online providers out there. You don’t (and can’t) have a relationship with an online retailer like you do your doctor. That means you can’t trust online medication retailers the same way you trust your physician who practices in a trusted establishment and who can converse with you one-on-one when she is totally focused on helping you.

Plus, you can view her medical license or diploma on the wall in the examination room and see where she attended medical school!

Even if you travel to another state and legally obtain a prescription for the abortion pill from your doctor via a “telemedicine” visit, you need to remember that a pregnancy test only indicates that you have the pregnancy hormone present in your blood or urine. You need an ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy and to see if you meet the under-10-week gestational requirement. If you do not have a confirmed pregnancy, taking the abortion pill would be unnecessary.

To make an appointment at Birth Choice, call 731-664-8443 or click here.

Reason #1

First of all, we give free pregnancy tests. You can buy a pregnancy test from any store, but our pregnancy tests are lab quality and we can give you a result within one hour of your arrival. However, a positive pregnancy test does not confirm pregnancy, which brings us to the second reason to come in.

Reason #2

Reason number two: free ultrasounds. There are several reasons that you could have a positive pregnancy test, but only an ultrasound will confirm pregnancy. The ultrasound also confirms if the fetus is in your uterus. If the fetus is not, you could have a tubal, or ectopic, pregnancy, and an abortion would not help.

You will need ultrasound confirmation to know if there is a heartbeat as well. If there is not, you may have a miscarriage and will not need an abortion. In fact, 10% to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, so this is important to know in advance. And with ultrasound, you can see how far along you are (when you conceived and how much growth has happened).

Reason #3

Another reason to come to us if you are considering abortion: we offer thorough medical and pregnancy consultations. We have trained medical personnel who will discuss your pregnancy results, free of charge. If you have questions concerning your pregnancy, pregnancy symptoms, or sexual history and risk of STIs, this would be a good time to ask our medical team.

Abortion Information