Someone asked us: I had an abortion with pills and I’m worried that my doctor will find out. Can you tell if someone had an abortion?
Generally speaking, no one — including nurses or doctors — can tell if you've taken abortion pills. If you put your abortion pills in your vagina, it’s possible for some leftover pieces to remain there for several hours or days. A doctor or nurse could see these pieces if you have a vaginal exam during this time period. However, there’s no test to look for abortion pills in your body, and any abortion pill symptoms you’re having look the same as the symptoms of a miscarriage. An incomplete abortion is generally treated the same way as an incomplete miscarriage, even if you live in a state with abortion bans. So it’s up to you to decide whether you want to tell your nurse or doctor about your abortion.
There’s a small chance that your medication abortion won’t work and you'll still be pregnant. In that case, you may need another dose of misoprostol pills, or you may need to have an in-clinic procedure to complete the abortion.
If you have questions or concerns about a miscarriage or abortion, the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline is a private and secure phone and text hotline, staffed by medical professionals. They’re not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, but they may be able to provide helpful information.
If you want more information about legal concerns and what you can safely say to a doctor or nurse about your pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion, you can contact the Repro Legal Helpline. The Repro Legal Helpline is not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, but they may be able to provide helpful information.
*Note: Planned Parenthood is not responsible for nor does it endorse any legal, medical, or other advice or information provided by any of the entities identified or referenced herein or by any other third parties, whether referenced herein or not.
Tags: abortion pill, medical abortion