What Are the Risks of Taking the Abortion Pill Without Medical Supervision?

October 1, 2025

Choosing to use the abortion pill method to end your pregnancy is a serious medical decision with potential risks. Experts recommend discussing your medical history with your healthcare provider to ensure it’s a safe option for you.

Since you perform the abortion pill regimen on your own in your home, you have no immediate medical oversight. How will you know if what you’re experiencing is a normal reaction to the drugs you take?

Don’t put your health and safety at risk. If you’re considering the abortion pill, you need to have access to emergency care. 

Women’s Care Medical Center can provide the information you need to make the best decision for your health and well-being. If you have other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the location nearest you.

Why Do I Need Supervision to Take a Couple of Pills?

It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Take a few pills and your “troubles” are over. However, the drugs used in the abortion pill method are powerful, and you need to take them cautiously. 

The FDA highly regulates the first drug, mifepristone. Only certified providers can prescribe it. 

They do not recommend purchasing the drugs online because many providers are from foreign countries. As a result, the quality, safety, and effectiveness of these drugs can’t be guaranteed.

Before you start the abortion pill regimen, you need to know the following:

How Many Weeks Have You Been Pregnant?

The FDA approves the use of the abortion drugs through 10 weeks of pregnancy only. The further along you are in your pregnancy, the less effective the drugs are. 

An ultrasound determines the number of weeks and days you have been pregnant. The Women’s Care Medical Center offers free, limited obstetrical ultrasounds.

Do You Have an STD/STI?

An untreated STD/STI can cause complications after an abortion. The infections can spread to other parts of your body or cause more severe, long-lasting health issues.

The Women’s Care Medical Center offers limited no-cost testing for qualifying patients with a positive pregnancy test. We’ll provide no-cost treatment if you have gonorrhea or chlamydia.

Is the Location of Your Pregnancy Correct?

Although rare, some pregnancies form outside the uterus. This type of pregnancy is known as ectopic. Only the uterus can hold a growing pregnancy. If it’s located anywhere else, it could be a life-threatening health issue.

The abortion drugs do not end an ectopic pregnancy. By getting an ultrasound, you can learn the exact location of your pregnancy to ensure your safety.

How Much Bleeding or Pain Is Too Much?

Every woman experiences an abortion differently. What may be mild cramping and light bleeding for one woman could become severe pain and heavy bleeding for another.

You should contact your healthcare provider if you soak more than two thick pads within an hour. Severe abdominal pain is also a complication. Some women described the pain as “out of this world.” Call your provider for clarification.

Getting the Help You Need From Women’s Care Medical Center

At Women’s Care Medical Center, we provide free pre-abortion screenings to ensure your safety. Get the facts about your pregnancy and what you should expect when using the abortion pill method.

Although we do not perform or refer for abortion, we can give you factual, medically based information about the methods, side effects to expect, and the potential physical and emotional consequences. 

Schedule a confidential pre-abortion screening today. Your health and safety matter to us. We’re here for you.

All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of 

writing.