People can tell abortion pills worked without medical help.
- Seeing pregnancy tissue: If you saw the pregnancy tissue (sac, embryo, or foetus), you can be sure that the abortion was successful.
- Pregnancy symptoms: Your pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and breast soreness, should start to decrease 24 hours after taking misoprostol.
- Home pregnancy test: A pregnancy test can still be positive 3–4 weeks after taking the pills, so it’s not a quick way to confirm.
- Ultrasound: If you are unsure if the abortion was successful, you can get an ultrasound anytime to make sure the pregnancy has ended. 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
- World Health Organization. 2022. Abortion Care Guideline. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/349316
