Unintended pregnancy is common. According to recent studies, just in the U.S. alone, 1 out of 2 pregnancies is unplanned. Having said that, if you are faced with an unplanned pregnancy, it’s important to remember that you are not alone and that you have a full right to decide what plan of action is best for you. You are supported and accepted.
Finding out if you are pregnant
First things first, if you think you might be pregnant, the quickest way to check is to do an at-home pregnancy test. These tests are easy to use, reliable, and don’t require you to go to the doctor. If you are unsure, you can try a few different ones from different brands to be on the safe side.
Wait until a few days after your period is due to take the test.
If the result is negative, then try again in a few days or go to your doctor. If the result is positive, then make an appointment with your GP or gynecologist for an ultrasound check-up.
Knowing that you are pregnant
See a doctor as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. Your pregnancy can be treated confidentially, even if you are under 16.
Once you know you are pregnant, you have the option to:
- continue the pregnancy and become a parent
- give the child for adoption
- terminate the pregnancy
Every woman can consider her options, whether to continue or terminate her pregnancy.
If you are not ready to be a parent or don’t want to have a baby, you can choose to leave the pregnancy.
Whatever you decide to do will be the right decision for you at that time.
Initiating abortion
Every woman has the right to initiate the abortion by her own will. Remember that abortion is safe and legal. A few different types of abortion are available. You can choose between drug-induced (medical) and surgical procedures.
read here from the Ministry of health
Abortion pill
The abortion pill is also known as a medical abortion. This method uses two drugs — mifepristone (Mifeprex) and misoprostol (Cytotec) — to end a pregnancy and can be done up to the 10th week of pregnancy.
You will take the two pills with a difference of a few hours or up to five days in between. You will bleed for about the length of your period, so it’s important to rest during this time.
After a few weeks, you will be asked to come to the doctor for a check-up. The abortion pill is very effective, but it depends on how far you are in your pregnancy when you take medicine.
Surgical abortion
If it has been 78 days or more since the first day of your last period, you can have an in-clinic surgical abortion. There are two types.
Vacuum aspiration abortion
This procedure is a standard method used in the first 5 to 12 weeks of your pregnancy.
You are given medication to numb your cervix and prevent pain; then, the doctor will insert a tube through your cervix into your uterus. The pregnancy will be pulled using suction.
Dilation and evacuation (D&E)
In this procedure, the cervix is first numbed with a local anesthetic. A dilator opens the cervix; a thin tube is inserted into the uterus. The tube is attached to a suction machine that removes the contents of the uterus.
Surgical abortions are safe and usually take no longer than 10 to 20 minutes. You can go home on the same day the procedure is done.
Despite the concerns that accompany the decision and the abortion, complications are rare, and there is no medical reason not to get pregnant at a later time.
Teenage assistance
Legally, women who have decided to continue the pregnancy and have been recognized as “single parents” are entitled to help from the state of Israel. Read the rights of single-parent families. If an adoption decision has been made, the Ministry of health can help with the adoption arrangement.
If you have decided to do an abortion and are unable to share it with your parents and friends at this time, you don’t have to share it. It will be completely discreet.
Unplanned pregnancy during army service
If you are pregnant and a soldier in the army, you can choose whether to continue the pregnancy and leave the military or decide to end the pregnancy and continue in the military framework.
If you decide to terminate your pregnancy, the military will fund the procedure, and a military social worker will be available for you throughout the process.
