With the recent news of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, you may be confused or worried about what this means for women’s rights in your area.
If you think you may be pregnant, it is important to be informed of all the facts of each pregnancy option available to you before you make your choice. Take a deep breath – there is hope and support available to you.
What does the overturning of Roe mean for women in NY?
The overturning of Roe did not eliminate access to abortion across the United States. Instead, the recent Supreme Court decision turned the issue of abortion access over to individual states. In the state of New York, abortion is available up until the point of viability, or 24 weeks gestational age.
This abortion access in New York includes both the abortion pill (also known as medication abortion) and surgical abortion (an in-clinic procedure). Which abortion method is available for each particular pregnancy situation depends on a number of factors including how far along in pregnancy the patient is, as well as whether or not other medical complications are present.
It is also important to note that the Supreme Court decision does not affect care to treat ectopic pregnancies or miscarriage care, nor does any existing state law. This care is not considered abortion care, is classified differently in medical records, and should not be affected by any abortion restrictions.
What do I need to know before an abortion in NY?
If you think you may be pregnant, in order to put your health and safety first, you should take the time to know all the information about each pregnancy option available to you first. Abortion is a serious medical procedure, and you should know what to expect.
The abortion pill is approved by the FDA for the termination of early pregnancies up until 10 weeks gestational age. Though the abortion pill is more readily available online now, it is important to note that if you’re not sure about how far along you are, you ought to get this confirmed by a medical professional in person. Taking the abortion pill past 10 weeks could result in incomplete abortion or other medical complications.
For the termination of later pregnancies up until 24 weeks in the state of New York, surgical abortion is an available procedure that is in-clinic with a physician or abortion provider. Because this procedure is more involved and typically involves sedation, surgical abortion has more serious associated risks and typically carries a higher monetary cost.
Due to the associated risks with any type of abortion, it is imperative before making an appointment or taking the abortion pill to know the following facts about your unique pregnancy situation:
- How far along you are (and what pregnancy options are available)
- If the pregnancy is viable (or if miscarriage care is more appropriate for your situation)
- If the pregnancy is located in the uterus (or if you are at risk of ectopic pregnancy)
The best way to get these questions answered and confirmed by a medical professional is to receive an ultrasound.
For instance, if your pregnancy is not located in the uterus (and ectopic pregnancy might be a concern), you would need to seek immediate medical attention outside of abortion care. Delay in the treatment of an ectopic pregnancy could result in the need for emergency surgery or other serious medical complications.
Schedule your appointment today
Our medical team at AscentCare would be happy to answer your questions and provide an ultrasound at no cost to you to help you feel confident in your next steps.
Schedule your free appointment today to get the information you need.