The are many pros and cons to having a natural abortion. The most common pros include the fact that a woman can initiate a natural abortion without a doctor’s help, and some natural solutions may be gentler on the body than a medical or in-office procedure. The cons include the fact that a doctor need not be involved and the potential for adverse effects from the natural remedy. Additionally, a major con of a natural pregnancy termination is the potential for failure.
The main pro of a natural abortion is that the patient can terminate a pregnancy with a doctor’s help. This may be the main benefit of this type of abortion for a person who does not want others, including her doctor, to know she is pregnant. If natural methods work, she can have a natural abortion in the privacy of her home instead of among strangers at a medical office or hospital.
Another possible pro of a natural abortion is its potential to be gentler on the body than a medical abortion. For example, a woman who opts for a medical abortion may take the abortion pill, which can be harsher on the body than a natural solution. Likewise, in-office abortions can sometimes result in trauma to the cervix and have other adverse effects. If a natural method of abortion is effective, safe, and gentle, there may be less risk involved.
The main con of a natural solution may be the same as the main pro: the lack of a doctor’s involvement. If a woman attempts to abort naturally, she could unintentionally harm herself because natural solutions are usually not proven safe or effective. The remedies that are frequently suggested may cause the same effects as a medical abortion, including heavy bleeding, cramping, nausea and vomiting, and weakness. Sometimes, however, the pain a woman experiences with a natural method is extreme, and there is the risk that she will hemorrhage from the vagina with some natural options. In some cases, a woman may even die because of the remedies used for a natural abortion.
Another con of a natural abortion is the risk that it may fail. In some cases, a natural solution may fail to terminate a pregnancy altogether. When this happens, it can be difficult to assess whether any harm has been done to the developing baby as a result of the abortion attempt. For example, if a woman has ingested large amounts of herbs to abort a pregnancy, there is a chance the herbs could harm the baby yet fail to end the pregnancy.
In some cases, a natural termination attempt may not fail altogether but may result in an incomplete abortion. This occurs when a pregnancy is aborted but some of the contents of the uterus are not expelled. A woman who has an incomplete abortion is at risk for a serious infection, extreme pain, and hemorrhaging. Sometimes complications caused by an incomplete abortion may even adversely affect her ability to bear children in the future.
Though some people do assert that natural termination methods work, women are usually advised to consult with a doctor before proceeding. A doctor can explain the risks versus benefits of a natural abortion and reveal whether or not natural solutions are likely to work. For safety reasons, most doctors are likely to advise against the use of natural pregnancy termination solutions.