Medication abortions may be more painful than women expect, study finds
Many women are surprised by how much pain they experience during a medication abortion, a study published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health found.
Many women are surprised by how much pain they experience during a medication abortion, a study published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health found.
More than 60% of abortions in the U.S. are medication abortions, meaning a person takes two drugs, often at home, to end a pregnancy. The study, which surveyed women in the U.K., found that many don’t feel prepared for the amount of pain they may feel during the procedure.
Pain does not mean the procedure is unsafe, but some women may feel caught off guard based on the information health providers gave them.
“There is a bit of a reckoning in the world of gynecology right now and the pain patients are experiencing during procedures,” said Dr. Alyssa Colwill, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine who wasn’t involved with the new research.
In the study, researchers looked at survey responses from about 1,600 women in the U.K. who had undergone a medication abortion and then answered questions about the experience. Most were between the ages of 20 and 39 and half had never given birth.
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