Medical Abortion Failure & Subsequent Pregnancy: What to Do?

Question
I had a medical abortion 4 weeks ago when I was five weeks pregnant and it didn't work. I had no bleeding at all after the pills were taken. I went back to the clinic after two weeks and found out that I was still pregnant with twins. I was given two options either a surgical abortion or to continue with the pregnancy. I decided to give the babies a chance at life. I am now nine weeks pregnant but I'm really worrying that the pills may have harmed my babies. I've read so many different reports some saying they should be ok cause the pills were possibly taken too early and others say I have to abort.

Answer
Hello, carrie,

No, you don't have to abort. Don't let people scare you into it.

As far as damage is concerned, it is unlikely, because any damage at that point would probably be incompatible with life and you would have lost the babies. There are two possibilities. If you are counting the weeks of pregnancy from your last menstrual period, then if the pills had harmed your babies, they wouldn't have lived. If you are counting the weeks of pregnancy from when you think you conceived, then by that time, the babies were making their own progesterone, so no harm was done. I don't know where you got the pills, but there is always a chance they weren't what you thought they were anyway.

Please keep in mind that all mothers worry about how their babies are doing because we cannot see that they are all right. Also, babies do occasionally have birth defects or medical problems for reasons other than an attempted abortion, so even if your twins have a medical problem, it may have nothing to do with your attempt, and so you shouldn't blame yourself. There are no guarantees in life, but the chances are very great that they are fine.

I urge you to find an organization near you that will have affiliations with doctors you can trust. You can find one by going to this web site:

http://www.optionline.org/

Please keep in touch and let me know how things are going, and I will keep all of you in my prayers. May God bless and keep all of you.