by Almost everywhere in the world, the subject of abortion is considered relatively taboo. Even so, there are many women every year that feel it is a necessary choice and not one they make easily.
Some women want alternatives that can be used safely at home where they can abort their pregnancy in private and avoid the stigma that is often associated with having an abortion. There are those who believe in vitamin C abortion, which involves eating foods high in vitamin C to cause the uterus to tighten and abort the fetus.
It’s definitely not recommended to try this procedure and similar do-it-yourself abortions at home. For such a procedure, seeking medical help is a much better choice and one that is much more likely to succeed while keeping your health intact.
If you’re still thinking about going forward with a vitamin C abortion, you need to understand whether or not it’s effective, where it originated, what the side effects are, and if there are any safer alternatives.
Do Vitamin C Abortions Work?
Unfortunately, the evidence that people often use to support vitamin C abortions is unreliable. There aren’t any credible studies that currently show its effectiveness.
Most of the time, the evidence itself is anecdotal and, more often that, it’s just a woman who claims it worked for her or someone she knows. Even though the method may indeed work for some women, vitamin C is not likely to cause an abortion for every woman.
In a worst-case scenario, it can cause a reaction that leads to an incomplete abortion which means that the fetus stays in the uterus. Even worse than that is when it doesn’t cause an abortion at all but damages the baby and its mother instead.
Anyone trying to use this method shouldn’t have high expectations. Because of the high probability that it will not work, it should be considered a waste of time. The longer you wait, the more complicated it will be to get a legitimate abortion. (1)
Where Did the Idea of a Vitamin C Abortion Begin?
The idea of taking vitamin C to induce an abortion began in the feminist community during the 1970s. A book written by Rebecca Chalker and Carol Downer entitled A Woman’s Book of Choices is one of the oldest references to a recipe for taking vitamin C for this purpose.
It’s possible that its origins date back even further than that. Today, because of the internet, this method has come back to life and gathered some momentum.
There are some women that say if this method is used on or before the 4th week of pregnancy it has a higher than average chance of succeeding. Those ladies say that its effectiveness diminishes significantly after that point.
Others suggest combining vitamin C with parsley for greater effect. They claim that the parsley softens the cervix which helps loosen things and eliminate the pregnancy.
Using vitamin C as a home remedy for abortion has been around for some years. Even so, there is no scientific evidence that it works. Those that claim it works often admit that it’s effective in only 30 to 40% of the women who try it.
It’s really a much better idea to use methods that are proven and consistently safe.
Is There Scientific Evidence to Support Vitamin C Abortion?
There is currently no clinical evidence supporting the use of vitamin C as a way to induce abortion. There is a lot of information online that can be found saying that it does work. Even so, most of these are just people promoting their opinions.
In one study, a group of 50 women who experienced spontaneous abortion was compared with another group of 50 women whose pregnancies ended peacefully. The researchers found that even though the levels of vitamin C were higher in the spontaneous abortion group later in the pregnancy, this was not enough evidence to conclude that the abortion was caused by vitamin C. (2)
It’s always important to remember that trying something like this is risking your health and the health of the baby. It makes a lot more sense to simply go with a method that is safe and proven effective.
Is It Safe To Use Vitamin C As A Way To Induce Abortion?
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient, yet it is possible to take too much of it. This vitamin helps your body grow normally, and it helps you to absorb iron. Your body is unable to store this vitamin at any period of time and therefore you need to consume it regularly as part of your diet. (3)
It is typically recommended that an adult take about 65 to 90 mg of vitamin C a day. On the other hand, the maximum daily intake is no more than 2,000 mg (2 grams) a day. Megadoses of vitamin C can ultimately be deadly. (4)
You should absolutely refrain from trying to use vitamin C to induce an abortion if you have any of the following:
- Kidney stones
- Sickle cell anemia
- Sensitive kidneys
- Taking an anticoagulant medication
- Difficulty digesting vitamin C
- Hemochromatosis or hemosiderosis
- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
Trying the vitamin C abortion method is risky. If you have any of the above conditions, then you’re at even greater risk. There may also be other factors that could jeopardize your health should you try this method.
Additionally, if you have any type of allergic reaction to ascorbic acid or other ingredients commonly found in this type of supplement, then you shouldn’t take vitamin C at all.
If you have any difficulties with your kidneys, then this too is a reason to refrain from trying this method. Megadoses of vitamin C can lead to a rare condition called hyperoxaluria, a serious health issue that develops from the presence of excessive amounts of oxalic acid in the urine, resulting in kidney stones.
Are There Any Known Side Effects To Taking High Doses Of Vitamin C?
Some people make the mistake of thinking because something is natural that it is automatically safe and has little or no side effects. Anytime there is more vitamin C in your body than it can use, it will flush out the excess through the kidneys.
The method of taking vitamin C to induce an abortion requires taking extremely high amounts of this vitamin. The recipe for vitamin C abortion often recommends consumption of up to 10 grams (10,000 mg) each day for up to 10 days.
Vitamin C is toxic at that level and is not recommended. This amount of vitamin C for this period of time can lead to constipation and cramping of the abdominal area.
It can also cause diarrhea and lead to kidney stones. It may cause nausea and insomnia. Some people will feel faint and fatigued and they may find that they have an upset stomach after eating. These are health problems you don’t want to have when you’re pregnant.
What Is the Best Alternative To Trying a Vitamin C Abortion?
The absolute best option is to consult with a medical professional. They will be able to provide a safe and hygienic abortion.
1. First Trimester: Medical Abortion
When a woman is less than 9 weeks pregnant, doctors can administer medical abortion, which uses medication to induce abortion.
This method allows women to avoid needing surgery or anesthesia and can typically be done as an outpatient. This method is most effective during the woman’s first trimester. (5)
2. Second Trimester: Surgical Abortion
If a woman is already in her second trimester, then surgical abortion will be necessary. One of the ways in which this is done is to dilate and evacuate (D & E) using a procedure to surgically abort the pregnancy after the 16th week. (6)
This method takes 15 or 20 minutes. When done in a clinic and handled by a medical professional, this method is very effective. In fact, it’s estimated to have a 90% success rate. However, they can be costly. (7)
3. Third Trimester: Possibly Not Legal
Several states in the US do not currently allow women to abort a pregnancy once she’s entered her third trimester.
The only exception to this is if the woman’s life were at risk or other situations that the law has stipulated. (8) This is why a woman who has decided to have an abortion should not delay doing so.
Conclusion
Abortion is a topic that continues to be controversial. As divisive as this issue is, there are still women that feel the need to make this choice. Some estimates say that as much as half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintentional, adding that as many as 30% of women will have an abortion in their lifetime. (9)
Because of the stigma that goes with abortion, there are many girls and women who seek alternatives they can do in the privacy of their home. One of these options that some will try is vitamin C abortion.
It might be easy to find information about this method online. However, it is still highly recommended that you go to a clinic near you for proper medical advice. Some of these are free, while others offer subsidized prices to help women.
Trying unproven methods can lead to long-term repercussions and health complications that are far worse than any stigma you may encounter by going to a clinic.
References
- Abortion Procedures During First, Second And Third Trimester http://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/abortion-procedures/
- Vitamins C and E in spontaneous abortion https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/988001
- Is it possible to take too much vitamin C? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030
- Is it possible to take too much vitamin C? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030
- Medical abortion https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/medical-abortion/about/pac-20394687
- Abortion Procedures During First, Second And Third Trimester http://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/abortion-procedures/
- Surgical Abortion https://www.healthline.com/health/surgical-abortion
- Abortion Procedures During First, Second And Third Trimester http://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/abortion-procedures/
- Unintended pregnancy in the United States: Incidence and disparities, 2006 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3338192/
