An unplanned pregnancy can disturb a person’s peace of mind and bring several unexpected changes in the lifestyle. If you know someone who has an unintended pregnancy and seeks a medical abortion, then you can help her in several ways as a friend. But firstly, do ask for permission if she is okay with you tagging along through the treatment and running the errands. Because consent matters, and once you hear a yes, you can do a lot to relax her and take care of all the important precautions, and things to do for successful pregnancy termination.
1. Getting the Supplies Ready
Before she uses abortion pills to terminate a pregnancy, it is vital to know the symptoms possible. As heavy vaginal bleeding will occur, shop for her large absorbent sanitary napkins, wet tissues, and clean clothes that she can wear during the process. Do not opt for tampons or menstrual cups.
There will be cramps and lower abdomen pain, thus, do buy painkillers beforehand. Go for a heating pad and hot water bag for the cramps and pain. Purchase grocery supplies and other essentials because it is crucial to stay indoors and avoid junk food throughout the procedure.
2. Travel to Emergency Care
Mifepristone and Misoprostol abortion pills together have a success rate of 99% to end an unplanned pregnancy non-invasively. Thus, it is rare for the medication process to fail or for any complication to arise in between if you follow the necessary instructions and precautions. Yet for safety, arrange transportation to the nearest emergency care unit that stays open 24 x 7. As your friend should not drive to the clinic by herself, if an emergency occurs, you should do the needful and get her admitted.
3. Assist with the Procedure
After obtaining the abortion pills, set a date on which she will take the medicines to at home. You will have to give her Mifepristone 200mg for oral intake with water. And then after 24 to 48 hours, let her take Misoprostol 200mcg x 4 pills. She can use the medicine buccally by placing 2 pills in both cheek pouches and waiting for 30 minutes before consuming the melted remains.
Or, she can insert a pill one after the other inside the vagina and rest on the back for 30 minutes. The medicine will melt so that the uterus can absorb it. Make sure she is in a comfortable posture to place the pills in the vaginal canal. Get her a soft pillow and firm mattress to rest. Close the curtains so that she can comfortably take a nap for half an hour.
4. Help to Manage Abortion Effects
Mifepristone is an anti-progesterone and all it does is separate the embryo from the uterus wall. Thus, implantation does not exist after the breaking of the endometrial lining due to the unavailability of progesterone hormone. So, on day 1, there are no such visible effects. But for some spotting may begin at this stage. On this day, you both can talk about something fun and indulge in simple activities to keep busy. But do not indulge in anything stressful and strenuous.
Get sufficient sleep because the next day, you may start with Misoprostol pills. Misoprostol causes uterine contractions as it is a prostaglandin E1 analog, and evicts the pregnancy portion out of the uterus and the vagina. It leads to heavy vaginal bleeding that flushes the products of conception outside. Also, it widens the cervix for the passing out of large blood clots containing the pregnancy tissues and the embryo.
For the pain, give your friend a painkiller half an hour before the administration of Misoprostol. And 30 minutes later, give her the large sanitary napkin to wear as bleeding can start anywhere between 2 to 4 hours of the pill administration. Soothe her with the application of a hot water bag or heating pad on the aching parts. And the cramps begin within an hour or two. Antiemetic medication is good for nausea, so you can get that for her.
5. Cook Something Healthy
A person must eat healthy food during an abortion. Since you will be around your friend, cook her something light, tasty, and healthy. Stick to a non-oily, fresh vegetable, and lean meat diet. Give her quick meals at intervals to make her feel energetic and get over tiredness and weakness. If she encounters diarrhea, then she will lose water from her body. So, to keep her hydrated, make her a few glasses of smoothies, and fresh fruit juices (except grapefruit) in between the procedure.
6. Pay Attention to the Precautions
Most women are done with the removal of pregnancy parts from the uterus within 24 to 72 hours of taking Misoprostol medication. But for others, it can take longer as per the gestation period they were in at the time of taking the pills. For safety and averting the risk of complications, there are a few precautions to follow. Make sure she uses clean linen and clothes because hygiene matters to avoid the risk of infection.
Do not let her work out or do any physically demanding tasks such as lifting heavy objects, operating heavy machinery, and likes. If she needs anything, try to bring it to her rather than her reaching out for it. Talk to her and encourage her if she loses hope or has any stress lingering about the procedure and expectations later.
7. Remind Her About the Follow-up
Do know that after 14 days from starting with Mifepristone, your friend must go for a follow-up with a physician and get an ultrasound scan of the uterus. The scanning will reveal if the womb has emptied successfully. You can accompany her to the consultation. If by chance, some of the pregnancy sections are still in the uterus, then she needs to undergo an invasive procedure to remove those. Be there for her, in case of such a scenario, and extend all the required support.
8. Emotional Support and Counseling
After an abortion, an individual may have mixed emotions. Some experience grief, at the same time confusion, happiness, loss, and disorientation about what to do next. At such a time, it is best to talk to someone she can trust. And as a friend, you can fill in this space and be the one to hear her out and give her emotional support. Be that listening year and shoulder to rest on and help her think positively and move on. If she required additional counseling, then do not hesitate to get her to meet a professional counselor.
Final Thoughts
Getting through a medical abortion involves care and precautionary steps. One can self-administer the medication and experience a successful termination of an unplanned pregnancy. But depending on the situation, an extra helping hand, and support can help. So, if your friend wants that kind of involvement, then you can assist her in some of the ways mentioned above.
