When September 28 rolls around each year, the team at carafem couldn’t be more excited. Not only are PSLs back in season (hello, pumpkin spice everything!) but it’s also a time to appreciate access to safe abortion in the US and around the world. Coincidentally, this date also marks the anniversary of the FDA validating what many people knew around the world for a long time: that the abortion pill (which is actually a combination of two medications – Mifepristone and Misoprostol) is a safe way for someone to end a pregnancy.
What always surprises us though, is that internationally, the abortion pill is widely known, trusted and used compared to the US. For example, did you know that in Finland, 96% of abortions are provided via the abortion pill, vs. America’s 39%? To top it off, abortion is legal and free of charge under a broad range of circumstances in the land of the thousand lakes!
Just like any medication or procedure, there’s no shortage of misinformation about abortion out there — so you might not know that early-induced abortion is one of the safest medical procedures available today. In fact, over 99% of early abortions are completed without serious complications.
To shed some light on how safe legal abortion really is, we’re sharing a list of ten regular things that are more dangerous than the abortion pill — many of which you’ve likely already experienced or will experience at some point.
The abortion pill is less risky than…
1. Having your tonsils out
Believe it: A tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries practiced in the U.S — and one often performed on young children. Even so, getting your tonsils removed is over 1,200% riskier than having an abortion.
2. Getting a shot of penicillin
Penicillin has been the healthcare world’s antibiotic of choice to treat infections, like strep throat and earaches, for almost 90 years. It’s been called one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century and has saved millions of lives! Despite that, having an abortion is not nearly as risky as getting a shot of penicillin.
3. The flu
Ugh. Flu season is the worst, right?! Not only does it make everything miserable, but getting the flu can have some pretty dire consequences. In fact, having the flu is thousands of times riskier than having an abortion! Now get ye a flu shot — stat.
4. Over-the-counter pain medications, like Tylenol, Advil, and Aspirin
Usually harmless, used by most; OTC pain meds treat anything from headaches to menstrual cramps. Still, taking them is way riskier than having an abortion.
5. Distracted driving
This may not come as a surprise, but using your phone while driving a car is dangerous. Still, many of us do it, and distracted driving is about 1,000 times riskier than abortion. Distracted driving includes some pretty normal activities, such as: texting or any other use of your phone; eating or drinking; talking to passengers; changing music or adjusting the radio; and fiddling with a GPS.
6. Getting struck by lightning
How many times have you been kicked out of the pool or watched a sports game pause due to thunder or lightning? While your chances of being hit by lightning are extremely slim, they’re still higher than your chances of having serious complications from safe abortion.
7. Crossing the street
Going out for a stroll shouldn’t set off alarm bells. Still, if you can believe it, crossing the street is much riskier than having an abortion.
8. Getting your wisdom teeth out
While “Wisdom Teeth” is among our favorite Broad City episodes, and having those wise-but-unnecessary molars removed is super routine, this procedure does carry risks — over three times as many as having an abortion.
9. Giving birth
It may be hard to believe, but even in present-day America, pregnancy and childbirth come with the risk of serious health issues. While most people get through pregnancy and birth without major problems, the risk of complications is still 28 times higher than those associated with having an abortion.
10. Having a colonoscopy
Colonoscopies are a vital part of preventative health — especially as we get older! But if you’ve ever seen someone prep for one, you probably know they’re not a lot of fun. While this procedure is very safe, it does have associated risks. In fact, colonoscopies are about 10 times riskier than early induced abortion.
To sum it up, abortion is usually made to sound a lot scarier and more dangerous than it really is. The fact is, nearly everything we do in our lives is associated with some amount of risk, no matter how small. If you’re thinking of having an abortion, rest assured that it is one of the safest medical procedures available today. Not only that, you’re in good company — around 1 in 4 people who are able to be pregnant in the US have an abortion in their lifetime. You’ll be just fine.
For more info or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 1-855-SAY-CARA or find your nearest location to schedule online.
