Do I need to have an ultrasound after an abortion with pills?

You don’t need an ultrasound after your abortion if you are sure the abortion worked and don’t have signs of complications. But ultrasounds can give some people peace of mind. They’re the fastest way to find out if your abortion with pills worked.

It is normal to see remaining tissue on an ultrasound after an abortion with pills. As long as there are no signs of complications, no further treatment is needed. Your body will usually pass any remaining tissue on its own.

Sources

1. Grossman, Daniel, and Kate Grindlay. 2011. ‘Alternatives to Ultrasound for Follow-up after Medication Abortion: A Systematic Review’. Contraception 83 (6): 504–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2010.08.023
2. Raymond, Elizabeth G., Daniel Grossman, Alice Mark, Ushma D. Upadhyay, Gillian Dean, Mitchell D. Creinin, Leah Coplon, et al. 2020. ‘Commentary: No-Test Medication Abortion: A Sample Protocol for Increasing Access during a Pandemic and Beyond’. Contraception 101 (6): 361–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2020.04.005
3. World Health Organization. 2023. Clinical Practice Handbook for Quality Abortion Care. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240075207
4. Reeves, M. F., M. C. Fox, P. A. Lohr, and M. D. Creinin. 2009. ‘Endometrial Thickness Following Medical Abortion Is Not Predictive of Subsequent Surgical Intervention’. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology 34 (1): 104–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.6404