Contraceptive

Okay so you’ve had sex and didn’t take our advice on protection… You are not alone! The most important factor in preventing an unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex is TIME. The Morning After Pill, commonly called “Plan B” in Texas is most effective within 3 days of conception, so basically get to a pharmacy and fast! Ella is another alternative medication that works for up to 5 days but can be more expensive and not always as easy to find at the CVS or Walgreens on the corner. (we would like to take this opportunity to remind you to get an STI test as soon as possible as well but for now we will tackle this one issue)

Emergency Contraceptives like Plan B and Ella are sold by pharmacies in Texas, they do not require a prescription and you do not have to be of any age to purchase them. Though many stores carry them behind the pharmacy counter, you are not required to show them any proof of ID or any other unnecessary steps. Again there is zero shame in being safe and protecting your body from an unwanted pregnancy. There has been some confusion about whether the Plan B pill is technically an abortion pill and we are here to set the record straight - No it is absolutely not. Do not listen to dusty old men who think that the more sex you have the more birth control pills you need - That’s not how any of this works!

The cost of Plan B and Ella can range anywhere from $30 - $60 (which is a lot cheaper than giving birth, we asked) but if you really cannot afford the cost, don’t wait until it is too late - Medical and Surgical abortions are more invasive and expensive and there is financial help if you need it. The people at Janes Due Process have links to find all of the Title X clinics in your area that can help with sliding scale costs and even some free services.

Medical Abortion is the term used to describe an abortion that is induced by method of taking a medication. These pills are generally used if you are less than around 10 weeks pregnant. Two different pills are taken, often 36-48 hours apart, but some providers will give you both at the same time. They are very effective - around 97% in the first 8 weeks, reducing to 87% in the 10th and 11th weeks.

The pills used for Medical Abortions, Mifepristone and Misoprostol, have been used safely and legally for over 20 years for pregnancies past the 6 week cut-off date that Texas is attempting to enforce. These pills do not work by killing babies, they prevent a fetus from growing and then allow you to safely, if not slightly painfully, expel the tissue. It has been described as something like a very heavy period and is not as shocking or over the top as the media would like it to be.

Planned Parenthood has some great resources on way to access medical abortion pills but with clinics being closed and religious organizations attempting to shame and give you a panic attack it can be difficult for some people to get to a clinic. That’s where the organizations like AidAccess and PlanC come in, you can order these medications discretely and without facing the cult members hanging out in women’s clinics parking lots.

Every state regulates abortion differently which is why it’s important to get the most relevant information, not from a site without a licensed medical doctor (Just checked and nope I am still not one) but in Texas the law has allowed for elective surgical abortions up to 20 weeks. The new law aims to reduce this to an astounding 6 weeks when most women aren’t even aware of the pregnancy.

Surgical Abortions are performed by in a medical office and are often called in-clinic abortions. There are two distinct types of Surgical Abortions. Read up on both but be prepared for the doctor to recommend one or the other - Aspiration are by far the most common.

Aspiration Abortion: The average clinic visit will last up to three to four hours for an aspiration abortion. The procedure itself should take five to 10 minutes.

Aspiration abortions, also called vacuum aspirations, are the most common type of surgical abortion. During this procedure, you’ll be given pain medication, which can include a numbing medication that is injected into the cervix. You may also be given a sedative, which will allow you to stay awake but be extremely relaxed.

Your doctor will first insert a speculum and examine your uterus. Your cervix will be stretched open with dilators either before or during the procedure. Your doctor will insert a tube through the cervix into the uterus, which is attached to a suction device. This will empty the uterus. Many women will feel mild to moderate cramping during this portion of the procedure. The cramping typically decreases after the tube is removed from the uterus.

Immediately after the procedure, your doctor may check your uterus to ensure that it is completely empty. You’ll be given antibiotics to prevent infection.

The actual aspiration procedure takes approximately five to 10 minutes, though more time may be needed for dilation.

Dilation & Evacuation

A D&E abortion is typically used after the 15th week of pregnancy. The procedure takes between 10 and 20 minutes, with more time potentially being needed for dilation.

This procedure starts the same way as an aspiration abortion, with the doctor applying pain medication, checking your uterus, and dilating your cervix. Like the aspiration abortion, the doctor inserts a tube attached to a suction machine to the uterus through the cervix and, combined with other medical tools, it will gently empty the uterus.

After the tube has been removed, your doctor will use a small, metal loop-shaped tool called a curette to remove any remaining tissue that is lining the uterus. This will ensure that the uterus is completely empty.

First let’s set the record straight about the legality of Abortions in Texas, IT IS 100% Legal to obtain an abortion medical or surgical in Texas. The reason they want “anonymous tips” about suspected abortion providers is because the bill (SB8) is in direct violation of the Federal Law established by Roe V Wade.

Now that the fun conversations are out of the way let’s make room for some helpful links that you can use to empower yourself. Thank you Reddit for the overwhelming amount of links I had to compile for this!

https://avowtexas.org/ - abortion rights activist group here in the State of Texas.
https://www.exposefakeclinics.com/cpc - fake clinics pretend to help you with family planning services and then lie until you are past the legal date and provide you zero support - because they suck.
aidaccess.org - supports all people with an unwanted pregnancy to access abortion or miscarriage treatment if you are healthy and less than 10 weeks pregnant.
plancpills.org - provides information on access to abortion pills for each state.
womenonweb.org - are the sister organization to aidaccess.org and send out pills worldwide. Also available in French, Japanese, Korean, Farsi, Arabic and several other languages.
womenhelp.org - are a similar group who will send out pills internationally following a online consultation.
bpas.org - are the leading UK abortion provider, and offer both medical and surgical abortions on the NHS.
Planned Parenthood provide about a third of all abortions in the US, and offer a wealth of other services.
abortionfinder.org - was created to provide clear, up-to-date information about the availability of abortion care across the USA.
ineedana.com - provide a simple, up-to-date, and localized source of information for people seeking abortions, based on your age, zip code and date of last period.
prochoice.org - have information on providers across the country.
The National Network of Abortion Funds connects US people who need abortions to local funds that can help with the procedure through payment, transportation, childcare and other logistics issues.
https://www.womenonwaves.org/en - women on a boat who want to help. I want a boat…
https://joycearthur.com/abortion/the-only-moral-abortion-is-my-abortion/ - Article on why Abortion is a moral choice.
https://www.rainn.org/- resources for women who are victims of sexual or domestic violence.
https://rcrc.org/ - religious organization that supports the right to choose what is happening with your body.
https://www.aclutx.org/en/know-your-rights/abortion-in-texas - what is going on in Texas right now.