FAQs

Review the frequently asked questions below, or skip to your desired category.

About Medication Abortion

Medication abortion is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy. In general, it can be used up to 11 weeks of pregnancy. Using standard protocols, it has a success rate of more than 95%. Medication abortion is sometimes called ‘the abortion pill,’ but it’s actually two different medicines that are taken to end a pregnancy.

The first medicine is called mifepristone. This is a pill that blocks the hormone progesterone. This stops the pregnancy from growing. The second medicine is called misoprostol. Misoprostol can be taken in different ways. Your doctor or nurse will review these options and all instructions with you.

We’ll check in with you within one week of taking the medicines. Two to three weeks after you take the medicines, we’ll check in again and give you instructions for taking a special pregnancy test, which comes in your kit. And we’ll be here every step of the way if you have any questions or concerns.

All types of abortion are considered very safe. Medication abortion has been used for many years in the US and around the world. Like with most medical treatments there can be some risks. Complications are rare, but can happen. Serious complications happen in less than 0.4% of patients. Some of the possible complications of medication abortion are:

-Risk that the medicines don’t work to end the pregnancy. This could mean needing to take more medicines or needing to go to a clinic for an abortion procedure.

-Bleeding more than expected

-Infection

-Blood clots

-Having an allergic reaction to one of the medicines

-Death (extremely rare)

Remember, we’ll be with you every step of the way for questions or concerns.

Most people don’t need an ultrasound before a medication abortion. An ultrasound before an abortion can confirm that the pregnancy is inside the uterus and confirm how far along the pregnancy is.

To help figure out if you should have an ultrasound, we’ll ask you a few questions about your health history. If you have any risk factors or possible signs of an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside of the uterus), we’ll recommend you get an ultrasound. Risk factors or possible signs of an ectopic pregnancy include: if you’ve ever had an ectopic pregnancy before; if you have an IUD or had one at the time you got pregnant; a history of surgery on your fallopian tubes; or if you’ve had vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain since your last period.

Once you know you are pregnant and have taken a home pregnancy test, we can use the first day of your last period to figure out how long you have been pregnant. The first day of your last period is day 1. For people with regular periods, this is a reliable way to know how long you have been pregnant. If you are not sure when your last period was or if your periods are irregular, you may need an ultrasound to find out how far along you are in your pregnancy. 

If an ultrasound is recommended, we may either order one for you or help you find another provider for in-person care.

The medicines given for medication abortion with Sunny are the same medicines given for a medication abortion in a clinic. With Sunny, if you are medically eligible, you can have your medication abortion at home without needing to schedule an appointment or travel anywhere in person. In a clinic, you may have the option of having an ultrasound before the abortion. For most people, special testing or an ultrasound is not needed before a medication abortion.

Once you receive your package, you can start the medicines in the privacy of your home or the location of your choice. Here are the steps you will follow:

  • First you’ll take the mifepristone pill
  • Next, you’ll generally wait between 24 to 48 hours before taking the misoprostol.
  • Then, you’ll take the misoprostol. Misoprostol can be taken 1) placed between the cheek and gum; 2)under the tongue; or 3) placed in the vagina.
  • Your doctor or nurse will give you more information about the different ways that misoprostol can be used.
  • If you are more than 9 weeks pregnant, you’ll repeat a second dose of misoprostol after 4 hours.
  • We’ll check in with you within 1 week of taking the medicines.
  • About four (4) weeks after taking the medicines, you’ll take a pregnancy test and we’ll check in with you again.
  • If at any point before, during, or after your abortion we recommend that you seek in-person care, we’ll let you know and help you figure out how to get care.

After taking the misoprostol, most people will have bleeding and cramping. The heaviest bleeding usually happens 2-5 hours after using misoprostol and usually slows within 24 hours. But some people bleed heavier for longer than that. Bleeding may be heavier than a regular period and you may see some blood clots. For cramping, pain medicines like ibuprofen or tylenol can help. A heating pad can also help. Cramping will gradually improve over hours to a day.

Some people get fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or flu-like symptoms after taking misoprostol. These should go away within 6 hours of using the misoprostol. Ibuprofen can help. You may feel a bit tired for a day or 2, but this should get better soon.

If you feel ill, have belly pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, or have a fever >100.4 more than 24 hours after using misoprostol, please contact us or seek medical care right away

Please contact us or seek medical attention right away if you soak through 2 maxi pads per hour for at least 2 hours in a row.

After taking the misoprostol (the second medicine) you should have cramping and bleeding within 24 hours. Contact us if you don’t bleed after using misoprostol.

Most pregnancy symptoms like nausea and vomiting should also start to go away within a few days. Breast tenderness can last longer, up to 7 to 10 days. If you still feel like you are pregnant a week after taking the medicines, please contact us.

About four (4) weeks after taking the medicines, we’ll ask you to take a pregnancy test (included in your kit) and we’ll check in with you.

In the rare case that the medicines did not work to end the pregnancy, we will help you with next steps.

Telehealth, sometimes also called telemedicine, is a way to receive healthcare without an in-person visit. Telehealth can take different forms. Some examples of telehealth are: 1) talking to a doctor over the phone or on a video chat and 2) sending and receiving messages, files, or images, to and from your doctor.

At Sunny, we provide telehealth through our online questionnaires, through the patient portal, and are available by text and phone.

Telehealth abortion care has really grown in the past few years. Research has shown that telehealth is a safe and effective option for medication abortion and that many people like having this option. 

With Sunny, you can have your medication abortion at home without needing to make an appointment or travel anywhere in person. In a clinic, you may have the option of having an ultrasound before the abortion. For most people, special testing or an ultrasound is not needed before a medication abortion.

Pregnancy Options

Deciding what to do about an unplanned pregnancy is a very personal decision. There are three options:

  • Parenting: You may decide to continue with the pregnancy, give birth, and raise the child.
  • Adoption: You may decide to continue with the pregnancy, give birth, and place the child with another individual or family.
  • Abortion: You may decide to end the pregnancy by either taking medications or having a procedure in a clinic.

You may already know what you would like to do. If you are not sure, talking with trusted people in your life can be very helpful. Talking with a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider can also help. All-Options is a free hotline that you can also call to talk to someone. They provide counseling and support.

There are two main types of abortion: a medication abortion (abortion with pills) and an in-clinic abortion. Medication abortion can be provided through an office visit or can be provided by telehealth and can generally be used in pregnancy up to 11 weeks. An in-clinic abortion is a procedure done by a doctor or nurse to remove the pregnancy. Both types of abortion are common and very safe.

Once you know you are pregnant and have taken a home pregnancy test, we can use the first day of your last period to figure out how long you have been pregnant. The first day of your last period is day 1. For people with regular periods, this is a reliable way to know how long you have been pregnant. If you are not sure when your last period was or if your periods are irregular, you may need an ultrasound to find out how far along you are in your pregnancy. In this case, we will recommend an in-person visit for care. We’ll help you find a provider for in-person care.

Getting Care with Sunny

Click the ‘Get Started’ button to register. You’ll be taken to our secure HIPAA-compliant platform. You'll be taken to our secure HIPAA-compliant platform to complete a brief health questionnaire. We can usually get all the information we need through our questionnaire and through secure message. If our doctor needs to talk with you, they’ll let you know.

We’ll send you our consent forms through our secure platform. You’ll get a text whenever you have a message or update from us.

To get started, you’ll need:

  1. The date of the first day of your last menstrual period.
  2. The date of your positive pregnancy test.
  3. A photo ID. Any ID with your name and photo is fine. It does not need to be a government-issued ID.

The cost of getting a medication abortion with Sunny is $269. We partner with the National Abortion Hotline and the Abortion Freedom Fund. They may be able to help with the cost of your medication abortion. We also offer payment plans.

After our doctor determines you are medically eligible, you’ll get an email and a text from our payment processor. These will include instructions for payment by credit or debit card. Once your payment has been processed, we’ll send your prescriptions. You’ll get an email from our pharmacy partner once your package has shipped.

We currently accept credit and debit card payments. We accept Medicaid in New York State and are working hard to be able to take Medicaid and insurance in other states soon.

Our standard delivery with FedEx Priority is free and takes 3-5 days. For an additional $35, you can choose FedEx Express, which takes 1-2 days.

Medicines are processed and shipped by our mail-order pharmacy partner, Honeybee. Once your medicines are shipped, you’ll get a tracking number. Expedited shipping options are available for an additional fee.

The Mailbox Project is a website that helps people get medication abortion by mail. It can help you find and use general mailing addresses at post offices across the country. Medications can be shipped to a general mailing address for pickup instead of sending to a home address.

Yes. Sunny is a professional member of the National Abortion Federation, a national organization that sets the quality standards for abortion care in North America. This means we have gone through an extensive review process. We meet rigorous quality standards and we will go through regular quality reviews. We are also certified by LegitScript, the leading verification system for online healthcare.

Our partner pharmacy, Honeybee, is a nationally-recognized pharmacy that is also certified by LegitScript and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

We’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions for you so you know what to expect and when you should contact us. We’ll check in with you within one week of taking the medicines. Four weeks after you take the medicines, we’ll check in again and give you instructions for taking the pregnancy test that comes in your kit. And we’ll be here every step of the way if you have any questions or concerns.

Medication abortion, like all types of abortion, is considered very safe. Serious complications are very rare. However, like with most medical treatments there can be some risks. We’ll provide detailed information to you about what you can expect and when you should contact us. At Sunny, we have a doctor on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can send us a secure message, text us, or call us and we’ll get back to you. If you think you are having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Sunny’s doctors are board-certified, US-trained, and licensed in your state. We currently offer services in California, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts and plan to add more states soon.

Most of our communication can be handled through our questionnaires and secure chat. But, if you’d like to have a phone or video call with our doctor, just let us know! We will be happy to connect.

Glad you asked! It’s possible to get pregnant again right away after having a medication abortion. If you want to prevent another pregnancy, it’s important to use birth control. There are many different options available for birth control. We will be happy to talk more with you about this. We can provide a prescription for you. Or for other methods that need an in-person visit (like an IUD or implant) we’ll be happy to help you find a healthcare provider.

We are available 24/7 via secure message, text, or phone. We’ll be here for you all along the way.

Once a prescription has been sent from our doctors to the pharmacy, we are not able to offer a refund. Before the prescription has been sent, you can contact us via secure message to ask about a refund.

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