The technical function of an abortion is to terminate a pregnancy through surgical procedures or medication. Women under 10 weeks pregnant could be eligible for medication abortion. It involves the use of two drugs: Mifepristone and Misoprostol. These two drugs have different functions. First, Mifepristone acts to block the womb from absorbing progesterone, the hormone that sustains a growing pregnancy. Between 24 and 48 hours later, Misoprostol is taken to cause contractions to expel the pregnancy.
Between weeks 10 and 12 of pregnancy, a surgical abortion called a D&C procedure is required to terminate the pregnancy. In a D&C procedure, the abortion provider will dilate the cervix and then empty the contents of the uterus using a tool called a curette.
Between weeks 12 and 14 of pregnancy, a surgical abortion called a suction curettage procedure is required to terminate the pregnancy. During this procedure, the abortion provider will use a suctioning device to pull apart and remove the fetal tissue. The uterus will then be scraped to ensure there is no tissue remaining. This procedure is typically available within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.
Between weeks 14 and 24 of pregnancy (also known as the second trimester), a surgical abortion called Dilation and Evacuation, or D&E, is required to terminate the pregnancy. A D&E procedure requires the abortion provider to dilate the cervix, break apart the fetal pregnancy tissue into smaller pieces, and then scrape the tissue and bones from the uterus.