Access to safe abortions is essential for healthcare and is a pivotal part of your reproductive rights.
While legal in Canada, abortions can be difficult to access for those that need them. A combination of geographic location, cost, social taboos and anti-choice voices all create obstacles in getting information and access to reproductive healthcare.
A famous research paper, called the Turnaway Study, followed people who had an abortion to see what the affects were five years after the procedure. The main finding: receiving an abortion does not harm the health and wellbeing of the individual. In fact, being denied an abortion results in worse financial, health and family outcomes.
The study also disproved many common claims about the negative effects on the individual’s health – they were no more likely to have depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation. 95% of people reported that having the procedure done was the right decision for them.
In Canada, an estimated 1 in 3 people capable of pregnancy will have an abortion in their lifetime.
Abortion is likely the most divisive medical procedure.
Women, and those with a uterus, decide to proceed with an abortion for a multitude of reasons:
In the end, it doesn’t matter the reasoning. What is important, is that this is a deeply personal decision that only they can make.
Gestation, geography and medical history play a role
Medical abortions (sometimes called ‘self managed’) use two medications, to stop the pregnancy from continuing to develop and then trigger the uterus to empty, ending the pregnancy.
Surgical abortions are done by a trained medical professional in a clinical setting like a hospital or abortion clinic.
We’ve compiled a list of the most common questions about abortions to help you understand your options, what the treatments include and aftercare help.
FAQ
There are several types of tests you can do to determine if you are pregnant
If you track your period, you’ll be able to count back from the last day of your last period to know how far along you are. You can also use this handy calculator to help.
If you don’t track your period, you may need a dating ultrasound to measure the size of the fetus to estimate how far along you are.
You can also find out gestational age based on the amount of hCG is in your body – this requires a blood test to confirm.
When you find yourself pregnant, there can be many mixed and powerful emotions.
There are several options available to you:
We can’t help you decide – we can only provide you with accurate information and a team of medical professionals who can provide you with support.
For medical abortions, Canadian healthcare professionals will prescribe the abortion pill up to 9 weeks gestation. Surgical abortions will provide you with more weeks to decide, but after 24 weeks it generally is extremely difficult to obtain an abortion unless there are serious complications.
At this point, we do not have the ability to prescribe the abortion pill to patients. We are working on providing this service in the very near future.
Medical abortions (sometimes called ‘self managed’) use two medications to stop the pregnancy from continuing to develop and then trigger the uterus to empty, ending the pregnancy. Generally you’ll take these pills at home and complete the procedure there. If you’re 9 weeks or earlier in your pregnancy, some prefer to take the medical abortion option as they can complete the procedure at home.
Surgical method is done by a trained medical professional in a clinical setting like a hospital or abortion clinic. Some prefer this method as it’s a shorter one day out-patient procedure under anesthesia.
Your options will depend on how far along you are, your medical history, and your preferences.
This website provides a simple way to search for your closest clinic – simply filter by your province or territory. Another great resource is Action Canada which provides more abortion information, STI/STD testing clinics, and IUD insertion clinics.
Absolutely not. Emergency Contraception prevents or delays ovulation or stops fertilization and attachment to the uterus, thereby preventing pregnancy. It is not the same as a the abortion pill, which is used to terminate an existing early-stage pregnancy.
If you’re unsure about whether you’re pregnant, or know that you’re pregnant and want to understand your options, chat with us. Just log into your myHealth account and head to the “Medical Chat” tab on the left of the screen. We’re here to help.
Abortion medication is often covered by these provincial/territorial plans or special focus plans: Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, PEI and Newfoundland & Labrador requires private insurance coverage or you pay for the procedure out of pocket. Nunavut residents may have coverage through NIHB.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus – often happening in the fallopian tube which is how the egg gets from the ovaries to the uterus. These pregnancies are never viable (as in, fetus never develops) and can cause significant complications, including death, if not treated.
Ectopic pregnancies often have the same early stage symptoms as a normal pregnancy, and a pregnancy test will come back as positive. Early signs of an ectopic pregnancy are vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain, but it depends on where the egg has implanted, how much and where the blood is collecting, and which nerves are being triggered.
If you have any of the following symptoms, it’s best to go to an in-person physician to check you out:
Yes. Any medical procedure has risks and complications that can arise, but when prescribed or completed by trained medical professionals it is one of the safest procedures. Less than 2% of patients run into complications, many of which can be treated easily with after-care support and follow up.
Of course. Medical abortions (sometimes called ‘self managed’) use two medications, to stop the pregnancy from continuing to develop and then trigger the uterus to empty, ending the pregnancy. These pills are prescribed up to week 9 of pregnancy and patients typically will take this medication in their home. This method is 95-99% effective.
Surgical abortions are done by a trained medical professional in a clinical setting like a hospital or abortion clinic. There are two types within the surgical category: vacuum aspiration (used up to 16 weeks gestation) and dilation and evacuation (used up to 24 weeks).
Yes. This medication is available in 60 countries. It’s use was approved in France since 1988! In Canada, this medication can be prescribed up to 9 weeks gestation. It is also important to get your blood work done before being prescribed the medication and then one week after taking the medication. Your prescriber will also let you know any symptoms that mean you should seek emergency care.
Cramping and heavy bleeding are common side effects that typically start 2 – 24 hours after taking this medication. Others include:
If you continue to have fever, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting more than 24 hours after taking this medication please contact your physician, a walk-in clinic or emergency room as it might be sign of an infection.
The first pill you’ll take stops the pregnancy from progressing further (by blocking the hormone progesterone). Most people won’t feel anything after taking this medication, some may get a bit nauseated or start bleeding. The second pill you’ll take is taken 24-48 hours after you took the first pill (your medical team will let you know how long to wait). This is the medicine that causes the cramping that empties your uterus. For most people, bleeding and cramping normally starts 1 – 4 hours after taking the second pill.
As the process can last up to 48 hours, we recommend staying at your home, or in another place you feel safe. Close proximity to a washroom is necessary to help with passing the tissue.
Often you’ll be prescribed pain medication and anti-nausea medication to take before you start misoprostol. We recommend prepping by buying either Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) and Gravol (dimenhydrate). You can also use Imodium (loperamide).
You should also buy a pack of maxi pads. After taking the medication you can’t insert anything vaginally for at least a week (tampons, menstrual cup). You’ll also be bleeding heavier than a normal period.
Others use a heating pad, hot water bottle or hot showers to help with the cramps. Many people like to sit on the toilet to help deal with the tissue.
Personally, we also suggest stocking up on your favourite snacks, loading up your Netflix, Prime or Disney+ watch list and taking a few days off of work or school. Back rubs, cozy blankets and a nice smelling candle also help.
Pregnancy needs a hormone called progesterone to grow normally. The first pill you take blocks your body’s own progesterone, stopping the pregnancy from growing.
If you were given or told to take medicine for nausea or cramping, you’ll take that 30 minutes before you take the second pill. Then you’ll take the second medicine, 24-48 hours later. There are four misoprostol pills that you’ll take in one of the following ways:
Buccal (in your mouth between your cheek and gums)
Taken 24 – 48 hours after taking mifepristone.
You will put the four misoprostol pills between your cheek and gum, two on each side of your mouth. You will leave them in place for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you’ll swallow what’s left of the pills with water.
Vaginal
Inserted 24 – 48 hours after taking mifepristone.
While lying down you will put four misoprostol pills in your vagina and push them in far enough so they don’t fall out. You will stay lying down for 30 minutes while they dissolve. After 30 minutes you’ll be able to get up and move around. If any pieces come out of your vagina you won’t need to put them back in.
After taking misoprostol, you’ll likely see large blood clots (up to the size of a lemon) or clumps of tissue. The experience is much like having a really heavy period. The cramping and bleeding can last for several hours – most people finish passing tissue in four to five hours but sometimes takes up to 48 hours. Cramps should lighten up one to two days after they start.
If you haven’t experienced any bleeding within 24 hours of taking the second pill, check in with your medical team.
Medical abortion complications are rare. But there are some signs that you should contact a medical professional right away:
You’ll be provided with an at home pregnancy test, or you’ll be asked to get an ultrasound or blood test, to confirm that the pregnancy hormones are decreasing or gone.
If it comes back that you are still pregnant, you’ll either be prescribed more medication or asked to have a surgical abortion to complete the process.
If you didn’t experience any bleeding within 24 hours of taking misoprostol, please contact your medical team for help.
For most, they’re back to their regular life 24 – 48 hours after they’ve passed all tissue.
You shouldn’t do any hard work, heavy lifting or intense exercise for a week after the procedure.
You may have lighter bleeding that lasts 10 – 16 days. You might have wonky periods for a few months after completing an abortion but generally it’ll be back to normal in four – eight weeks.
As soon as you feel you’re ready. You have to wait at least seven days after taking the pills before inserting anything into your vagina.
Jill Health offers lots of options when it comes to proactive birth control (the pill, the patch or the ring), as well as emergency contraception. You can start a medical chat with our team by logging into your myHealth account, or you can read about your options here.
Immediately, and we encourage you to do so. If you don’t have a proactive birth control method (like the pill, patch, ring, IUD or implant) consider getting one to help prevent future pregnancies. And we encourage you to look into having emergency contraception in your medicine cabinet. Just in case.
You can chat with our medical team, trusted friends, family, online support groups, your therapist and other organizations that provide abortion support. If you’re finding your mood after your abortion is keeping you from doing things you normally do each day, it’s time to talk to a medical professional for help. All-options Talkline (1-888-493-0092) is a free hotline where you’ll be provided with empathetic support, and is open to Canadians. Action Canada (1-866-642-2725) also has a sexual health specific hotline to help provide support.
Questions? Contact us anytime on the site chat or at hello@jill.health
Jill Health is not a pharmacy or a drug manufacturer.
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