More women in America are choosing to terminate their pregnancy by taking medication or abortion pills instead of surgery. A newly-released data reveals that abortion pills demand is on the rise and its popularity is almost equal to surgical abortion. The latter procedure used to be the standard choice for pregnancy termination.
The data, which has been produced by Reuters, was taken from abortions done at Planned Parenthood as of 2014 and earlier. It revealed that 43 percent of women have chosen abortion pill over surgery. That number has risen from 35 percent in 2010.
The data is reflective of an FDA ruling that makes abortion pills more accessible to women. The federal agency announced that it has eased up on its guidelines for abortion pills, even as many states have strict abortion laws, The Washington Post reports.
Mifepristone and misoprostol are two generic names for abortion pills. One works to block the hormones that make pregnancy viable and the other works to induce contraction in the uterus.
Taking the pills would help a pregnant woman expel the fetus without surgery in the first trimester of pregnancy but it still comes with potential side effects. Cosmopolitan provides a quick FAQ on how abortion pills are acquired and administered the proper way. The most important thing for pregnant women to take note of is that they need to see a doctor first before taking the pill and they should never order the medication online.
According to Fortune, pregnant women prefer abortion pills over surgery because termination of pregnancy can be conveniently and comfortably done at home and they can be watched over by loved-ones. It also does away with exorbitant surgical procedures and recovery. It also doesn't put the woman in harm's way when abortion clinics are usually the sites of protests and violence.
Proponents of legalized abortion see this development as progress but the United States still trails behind other countries when it comes to use of abortion pills. In Europe, 80 percent of women pick medication abortion over surgical abortion to terminate pregnancy.
