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Writer's pictureCompass Women's Center

What Are the Risks of a DIY Abortion or At-Home Miscarriage?

Your pregnancy test revealed the terrifying truth — the birth control failed, and you’re now pregnant. What do you do? Maybe you don’t have the money for an abortion, and you are researching DIY abortion methods and how to induce or cause a miscarriage at home. Contact us to learn more about spontaneous abortion, pregnancy options, what to expect, and more. If you think you may want to continue your pregnancy and are worried about potential miscarriage or abortion risks, please reach out to learn more about how we can help.


Whatever you may be looking for, your best first step is a free consultation so you can know what options and pregnancy resources are available to you.

girl looking up abortion pills on her phone

Is an at-home, self-induced miscarriage possible?

In the past few years, thousands of women like you have turned to looking for at-home abortion options for an unintended pregnancy. While there are several methods and ways to force an at-home, self-induced abortion, we want to be abundantly clear. It is not safe to induce a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion at home. According to the National Library of Medicine, some 68,000 women die of unsafe abortion annually, making it one of the leading causes of maternal mortality (13%).


Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2709326/The risks are high and can cause long-term or life-threatening side effects including but not limited to:

  • liver damage

  • breathing difficulties

  • death


You should know that whether you’re trying to induce a miscarriage or not, miscarriages occur in 10 - 20% of all known pregnancies. Only an ultrasound can verify if your pregnancy is on track to progress or cease. We do not refer or perform abortion services but can provide a referral for a free ultrasound confirmation. 


Risks associated with self-induced miscarriages

It is important to evaluate risks in life, and this is even more true when it comes to your health. You can Google, research, and ask others for opinions, but all these options should come secondary to the oversight of a licensed medical professional. Here are things you should evaluate before you do anything.

  1. Tubal pregnancy Roughly 1 in 50 pregnancies will be a tubal or ectopic pregnancy. A tubal pregnancy is when the fertilized egg implants itself on the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. A self-induced miscarriage will not rectify a tubal pregnancy. Additionally, a tubal pregnancy can be life-threatening. If you want to rule out a tubal pregnancy, you will need an ultrasound.

  2. Medication If you are already taking medication, the herbs used for a DIY abortion could cause a severe reaction in your body. Mixing medications with herbs and other medicines can be dangerous and should be approved by a doctor before doing so.

  3. Dosage  Depending on the amount of herbs you take, substantial quantities of any herb can be fatal to your body due to the toxins increasing to high and dangerous levels. With anything medical, you should always consult a licensed medical professional. Don’t have one and can’t afford one? Check out how we can help you with your pregnancy concerns.

  4. Incomplete miscarriage You can take the right amount of herbs to have a self-induced miscarriage, and your miscarriage could occur, yet the fetal tissue has not entirely been expelled. In that case, you will still need to have the same medical procedure that you would during an abortion.

  5. Pre-existing medical conditions Diabetes, epilepsy, and high blood pressure, mixed with what you may take during a DIY abortion, can affect your heart, kidneys, and lungs, leaving you with serious side effects. Before trying to self-induce a miscarriage, we strongly advise you to talk with a licensed medical professional and get all the pros and cons before making a decision.


Where you can find help

If you’re short on money and time and overwrought with worry, we can help. We offer same-day appointments and no-cost pregnancy services. 

Make your appointment today!


References:

Miscarriage - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. (2023c, September 8). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/symptoms-causes/syc-20354298

Is herbal abortion safe? (n.d.-b). Poison Control. https://www.poison.org/articles/herbal-abortion

Danielsson, K. (2022, October 26). Ectopic pregnancy statistics. Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-do-statistics-look-like-for-ectopic-pregnancy-2371730

Professional, C. C. M. (n.d.-e). Dilation and Curettage (D & C). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/procedures/dilation-and-curettage

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