If you find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy and have a medical condition that requires you to take blood thinners, you may be wondering if you can take the abortion pill with blood thinners.
Many drug labels warn patients of certain conditions that make the drug especially risky for a person with those conditions. These warnings may be labeled on the drug packaging as “contraindications.” Let’s examine the warnings from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) about the abortion pill and why it’s dangerous to take the abortion pill with blood thinners.
(Please note, no content of this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.)
The FDA warns against taking the abortion pill with blood thinners
The abortion pill is also known as mifepristone. The FDA’s Q&A on the abortion pill states:
“An individual should not take mifepristone…if they…have bleeding problems or are taking anticoagulant (blood thinning) drug products.”
Why is it dangerous to take the abortion pill with blood thinners?
To understand why it is dangerous for you to take the abortion pill with blood thinners, it’s important to know what happens in your body when you take the abortion pill.
In a normal pregnancy, the tissue from your pregnancy attaches to the lining of your uterus. The abortion pill causes your pregnancy to end. “This leads to detachment” of the pregnancy from your uterus, which can cause bleeding.
Blood thinners “keep blood clots from forming,” which means it will be difficult for your body to stop bleeding – this makes you prone to experience complications and excessive bleeding. Should this occur, seek immediate medical care at an emergency room.
Have you obtained an ultrasound?
An important step for any pregnancy is to obtain an ultrasound. The ultrasound is also a crucial step if you are considering the abortion pill because it can provide information, including:
- The location of the pregnancy. If your pregnancy has implanted anywhere outside the uterus, you could have an ectopic pregnancy. In this instance, you would be advised to seek immediate medical attention. The FDA warns the abortion pill “will not be effective to terminate an ectopic pregnancy.” Ectopic pregnancies occur in about 2% of pregnancies and have been increasing in recent years, especially among young women.
- The gestational age. This is determined by measuring the dimensions of the pregnancy. The abortion pill is FDA approved only through 10 weeks of pregnancy.
- The viability of the pregnancy. If a heartbeat cannot be detected, it is possible you may naturally miscarry. In this case, you would be advised to follow up with your physician and avoid taking abortion pills.
Waterleaf Women’s Center can provide you with a pregnancy test and ultrasound, all free of charge. Our licensed medical professionals will provide you with compassionate care without judgement.
Call or text Waterleaf confidentially today at 630-360-2256 (CALM).
