The Lunar Body

The Abortion Episode: Your Options & After Care

• Kristen Ciccolini • Season 3 • Episode 35

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The Lunar Body is back for season 3! Given the state of reproductive rights in the U.S., I felt it was urgent to open this season with an episode on abortion. You'll learn about the different methods of abortion and what to expect with both an in-clinic (or surgical) procedure and medical abortion with pills, what you may want to know about after-care, what to do in states with restricted access, why it is strongly recommended to avoid herbal abortion, answers to common questions you may have, how to prepare for termination, how you can support others, and much more.

Disclaimer: This information in this episode, and in all episodes of The Lunar Body podcast, is for educational purposes only; it is NOT medical advice and it is your responsibility to speak to a qualified healthcare provider about your unique needs. The final decision when considering any diet, lifestyle change, or medical procedure, whether it’s discussed on the internet, in a podcast, or prescribed by your doctor, is always your own.

Listener perk: Get $100 off Cycle Magic, a cycle-syncing course for menstrual misfits, with the code LUNARLOVE — Available until season 3 ends!
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SPEAKER_00

You are listening to The Lunar Body, a podcast for feminist menstruators who want to manage their health naturally and supernaturally through nutrition, herbalism, and intuitive expansion using science and the moon as your guide. Hello and welcome to the Lunar Body. I'm your host, Kristen Ciccolini, period priestess, nutritionist, and the founder of Goodwitch Kitchen. It's good to be back. This is the first episode of season three, and coming in hot. It's the abortion episode. This is intended to be a resource for those who need it, to be shared amongst friends, to serve as support for the questions you may not be able to find answers to otherwise. And I'm doing this because, in case you live under a rock, over the summer the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe vs. Wade. And that effectively eliminates our rights to abortion and leaves the decision to restrict or ban it entirely up to individual states. Obviously, with this topic, we're gonna dive into some heavy stuff in this episode. So I do want to offer a trigger warning. I'll be covering abortion, anatomy, emotions, grief, support from friends and family, pregnancy, sex. So I encourage you to reach out to me via email if there's a particular piece of information that you're looking for, but you're unable to listen to for these reasons. If that's the case, you can email me at Kristen at GoodwichKitchen.net, K R I S T E N at Goodwich Kitchen.net, or thelunarbody at gmail.com. So what's going on in the US is a public health emergency that we as women, as trans people, as non-binary people, and other people who may need abortion services, we've all been volunteered for this against our will. And it's a direct assault on all of us, whether your state allows abortion or not, whether you believe in abortion or not, it affects all of us. It's forced birth. Forced birth is a violation of human rights. And if you've been following me for a bit, I've been sending emails about this over the summer months, sharing resources, sharing my thoughts. And somehow, I don't know how, there are pro-life people on my list. I don't know how they ended up there, but I certainly heard from them throughout the summer. And it's interesting, their opinions on women who get abortions and the misogyny that run so deep that they're just completely blind to. The pro-life folks consider themselves the responsible ones, the ones who care for the sanctity of life, the good people, the intelligent people, the moral people. And people who have abortions are irresponsible, careless, using it as birth control. Pro-lifers don't agree with them, so they obviously must be this way, right? They see it as the only other version of a woman. And it's extremely clear in the emails that I get, people spend an absurd amount of time writing me like 10 paragraph emails about this stuff. I'd like, please use that energy elsewhere. But the picture that they paint is so misogynistic, and they can't even fathom that someone could very well be as responsible and as smart and as moral as they consider themselves to be and make a different decision. But I think we know why, you know, it really isn't about respecting women, it isn't about respecting life. These people don't really think these barely formed fetuses are actual babies. Otherwise, they would be having funerals for miscarriages every day, right? They call themselves pro-life, but it doesn't mean anything other than pro-control, because it is certainly not pro-parent, it's certainly not pro-baby. It's pro-control over people's bodies, especially and disproportionately black women, brown women, poor women, and young women. Abortion is not a decision to be made by anyone other than a person or a couple in their medical provider, absolutely not the government. Abortion is health care, it's medical care, it's medical care that's not different from any other care that you would receive. And you don't need a good reason to get one, quote unquote good. You should be able to get one if you want one. And I say this because I'm thinking back to that Facebook post that was being copied and pasted that was like, I'm not pro-murdering babies, I'm pro Becky, who got an abortion, because there is a problem with her baby's organs. And I'm pro-Cathy, who was raped, and I'm pro Susan, who couldn't afford to raise a kid. And I understand the sentiment, I understand why people were sharing it, but that post just really wrote me the wrong way. It's because, yes, it shows how many reasons there are and how many situations could end up with this decision, but it also perpetuates the idea that there should be some sort of acceptable, like quote unquote acceptable reason to get an abortion, some fucked up situation that justifies this decision. I don't care why you want one. You should be able to get one because you have a fundamental right to bodily autonomy. I've also seen people argue on the liberal side that we don't want to increase the number of abortions, we just want safe access. That's actually not true for me. Yes, I want safe access, but I want to increase abortions. I want everyone who needs safe access to have safe access. The more, the better. And I can't imagine that if you're listening to this episode that you don't already agree with all this, so I won't stay on my soapbox for much longer. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but if you do happen to be hate listening from the right wing, banning abortions does not make them stop. It just makes them more dangerous. And these are your rights too. They will continue to be stripped in ways that actually do directly affect you. It is a very slippery slope, all of this. So it will affect you at some point. Keep that in mind. Alright, so in this episode, I'm gonna explain the different methods of abortion, what you might expect from either one, and I'll answer some common questions around aftercare and understanding your body after the procedure. Then I'm gonna share how you can support those who need abortions in your life and in general, plus some other resources and helpful things that you should know in this area. Before I get into it, big, huge disclaimer that this information in this episode and in all episodes of my podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and it is your responsibility to speak to a qualified healthcare provider about your unique needs. The final decision when considering any diet or lifestyle change or medical procedure, whether it's discussed on the internet, in a podcast, or prescribed by your doctor, is always your own. So you're already listening to this, and I don't know how to make podcast listening private, so that's already out there, but I would stress that as you listen to this episode, write down anything you want to research further and wait until the end to do that research privately and safely. I'm already in too deep and we'll probably end up in jail for sharing all this information, but hopefully one of you out there, one of my lovely loyal listeners, is a really great lawyer that'll have my back if that ever happens. So these recommendations for digital safety are courtesy of the nonprofit Women Help Women, and they recommend using the app Signal for free, secure text and phone calls. Also Proton Mail for free and secure email, DuckDuckGo for private searches that are not tracked online, and I'll also share a link to the surveillance self-defense guide. So you'll want to keep these things in mind when you're doing your research. I'd also recommend going as far to delete your period tracking apps and using good old-fashioned pen and paper. I'll link to an excerpt of my Cycle Magic course that covers intuitive cycle tracking so you have an idea of what you're tracking and what it all means, so you can rely on your own predictions instead of an algorithm. Especially if you live in a restrictive state, I'd also go as far as to rec uh request that your data be deleted from the apps that you're using. I don't trust the government for shit, so do what you can to watch your back. And I know this all sounds a little crazy, but shit is crazy, you guys. We have to protect ourselves. Before I get into the types of abortion, I want to acknowledge that I know these decisions are not easy. I know that access is not as easy as walking into your doctor's office. There are a lot of different factors that influence our decisions, whether we even have the ability to make decisions due to social stigma or financial inability or other type of oppression. Whether the options are even presented to us, some people are not afforded respect and holistic informed care from medical providers that they deserve. There's also pressure, there's safety risk, there's racism, there's transphobia. Sometimes this is just about survival only. So the intention for this episode is to explain what the options are to help you make the best decision for yourself in whatever situation that you're in. And I hope it makes the experience a little bit easier. There are two types of abortion that I'm going to cover, which are in clinic and the abortion pill. The in-clinic procedure or surgical abortion is also known as vacuum aspiration, where the pregnancy is manually removed. In the first trimester, this takes about 10 to 20 minutes, and it happens in the same kind of doctor's office that you get a PAP smear. And in the second trimester, it's a two-day procedure called dilation and evacuation, or you may see it abbreviated as D and E. When your appointment begins, you can expect to get some blood work done. Your doctor will also do an ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy and how far along you are, which will also help them decide the right tools to use during the procedure. And you can elect to see the ultrasound or not. Some people are curious, others don't want to have anything to do with it. It's completely up to you. It's also, if you don't want to see it, it's highly likely that the ultrasound image will appear in your appointment notes if you happen to check those in your patient portal. So if that's something you'd rather avoid, you can skip over those or have someone you trust read through them for you. After the ultrasound, you'll be put in stirrups, same as you would with a pap smear where you scoot your butt all the way down to the edge of the bed. The doctor should let you know exactly what they're doing before they do it, and they should explain what you'll feel too. So for instance, this is where you'll feel the cold speculum and some slight pressure as they open it up. So you should ask them to do that. They should already be doing it for you, but just in case, just ask them to make sure that they tell you what they're doing as they do it. So as it begins, they'll numb your cervix with a lidocaine shot and then sterilize it. Next, they'll use something called a dilator to open up the cervix and prepare it for the extraction. A dilator is a long, skinny metal rod, and there's different ones with different widths. The ones that they use will differ depending on your body and also the length of the pregnancy. Once the cervix is prepped, they'll insert a tube that's connected to a vacuum, and this is the vacuum aspiration. It may be done with an electric vacuum that's plugged in, or it may be done manually, and neither is necessarily better than the other. It's just what your office has available. This removes the pregnancy tissue from the cervix and the uterus, and your doctor will continue the ultrasound during the procedure to make sure that the pregnancy has been fully removed and that the uterus is empty. If you're interested in getting an IUD as birth control moving forward, you can ask for this to be done at the end of the procedure, so it can all happen at once. And just make sure to ask before your appointment, of course, to make sure they have everything available for you, but it can be inserted once the aspiration is complete. All of that, including IUD insertion, if you opt for that, takes no more than 20 minutes. And everyone's different when it comes to pain intolerance or pain tolerance, but the lidocaine shot should help with most of it, though you are still likely to experience discomfort. Please speak up if you feel that something isn't right. Your doctor should be walking you through what to expect during and after the procedure, including as they're doing things, they should say something like, you might feel some slight discomfort right now, or you might be feeling some pressure right now. So they'll tell you what you might expect during the procedure, but you know your body best. And if you have severe pain or you feel that anything else is off, you have every right to say something. And you may also have the option to go under anesthesia, but honestly, probably only if you're rich or you have really great insurance. Um, I mean, you do probably have the option, but realistically, is it going to be affordable? Is it worth the extra money and the hassle? It really depends. All of this is extremely personal. You'll have to do the procedure in the OR rather than the doctor's office if you do opt for that. So it's a whole other ball game in terms of insurance and expenses. Um, so you may have that option. So if that's of interest to you and it feels realistic to you, definitely look into that. In terms of aftercare, you may be able to just go about your day normally, just taking some ibuprofen to manage any pain. Everyone's body and everyone's situation is different, so let your doctor advise you on when it's okay to resume normal physical activity. Typically, they'll tell you not to have sex for at least two weeks. One, because the cervix may still be dilated, so there's an increased risk for infection as it's still open, even with a condom, even if you're using a condom. And two, an open cervix means you could get pregnant more easily. So best to abstain since clearly that's not what we're looking for right now. Bleeding afterwards is completely normal and it'll be similar to menstrual blood. It may not happen at all, or it may happen for only a few hours, or a few days, or two to six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. Everyone's different again. But anything super heavy, like soaking two or more maxi pads in an hour for two hours in a row, is not normal, and you should contact your doctor to let them know. You may experience cramping as well, so this is normal because the uterus, one, just experienced an invasive procedure, and two, it's shrinking down to its normal size. And this is most common within the first three to five days. And you can take ibuprofen, you can massage the uterine area, or use a heating pad. If you want herbal remedies, chamomile is a nice antispasmodic calming herb that's really easily accessible. And nettle is also nice for its magnesium content, which can help relax you. That's semi accessible in a good grocery store. Also, keep in mind that there may be emotional after effects. Even if you're super, super confident in your decision, some emotions might catch you by surprise. It can be an overwhelming event. Also, your hormones are changing, so emotions can be more unpredictable. You might have feelings of grief and loss. And if this is something you're keeping private, you may feel lonely in your experience too. So keep this in mind when preparing for your procedure. Surround yourself with people you love and trust. And if that's not a possibility, look into anonymous support groups online because there are so, so many people who have shared experiences who can help you feel less alone. The second option is medical abortion or the abortion pill. And this is different from plan B. Plan B prevents implantation and fertilization. And in this case, that ship is sailed. So oh, by the way, not that Jeff Bezos isn't tracking you, but Plan B is available on Amazon if you need it. Also, Target, Walmart, CVS, Costco, they all have it too if you're not able to get it at a pharmacy. So medical abortion is done at home for pregnancies under 13 weeks, but generally it's more common 10 weeks and under. And it does take longer than the in-clinic procedure. It takes about two weeks to fully complete an abortion with pills. So whichever one you choose, assuming you have the privilege of choice, it is totally up to your particular needs. Whether you're looking for privacy, comfort, accessibility, a less invasive method, whatever reason, you decide. But do be sure to talk to your doctor about potential contraindications and to dive further into the resources that I have provided in the show notes for you. If you're unable to get pills from your doctor, you will find ways around this in those resources because mysoprostal is actually used to treat stomach ulcers, so that's one of the pills that you'll find. So you may be able to find another way. And you can look in the links that I shared for dosing information should you hypothetically just be casually interested in that information for no reason other than purely educational purposes, as that's what this podcast is for. Just education, not medical information. So with the uh medical abortion, what you'll receive is either one or two different types of pills. So there's misoprostol and there's mifopristone. I hope I'm saying that correctly. They're hard to pronounce words. But misoprostol is the one that's required for an abortion. Myfopristone won't cause an abortion, it just makes the other pill more effective, but the process can be done without it. What misoprostol does is it promotes contractions in the uterus to encourage it to expel the pregnancy. And myfopristone blocks progesterone, which is the hormone that supports pregnancy. And it also softens the cervix and it makes the uterine lining more sensitive, making this whole process a bit easier. So you may receive misoprostol only or a combination of both of these types of pills. And it's not just one or two pills, it's referred to as the abortion pill as if it's just one pill that does the trick. But that's a misnomer. It's actually at least five pills and up to 12, depending which medication you're set up with. So for the experience of it, typically the embryo will start to pass within five to ten hours after you've taken the pill, though it can take up to two days. It can be a long process that includes bleeding and discharge, similar to menstrual flow and possible cramping, which is the uterine contraction that I mentioned. And this is normal. The heaviest bleeding should decrease after a few hours. But like a period, it can go on for several days, or in this procedure's case, it could go on for weeks. Heavy bleeding, again, is not normal. So soaking two or more full-size pads in two hours, not normal. Also, severe pain and high fever are not normal either, and fever indicates infection. And if that's the case, you should contact your doctor ASAP. And this isn't very common, but it is something to know and keep an eye on. There are possible temporary side effects like diarrhea because your uterus is contracting and it's very close to the colon, so that can trigger some digestive activity, which is also why you may experience that during your period, too. Also, nausea, low grade temperature is normal rather than a high fever. High fever is not normal. Depending on the pill and the instructions from your doctor, you may swallow it or absorb it vaginally. And vaginal administration comes with less side effects typically. Also, important to note if you're dealing with an ectopic pregnancy, medical abortion will not work. So, unfortunately, this is not an avenue that you'll be able to do. After care for a medical abortion is similar to the in-clinic procedure. You'll want to avoid sex, tampons, or inserting anything else into the vagina to avoid infection while you're still bleeding. And the window tends to be shorter since the cervix was not manually opened. So, whereas an in-clinic procedure, they say about two weeks, this might be a little bit shorter. So the World Health Organization says you can resume sexual activity when you feel able. While you're going through this, you may want a friend to keep you company throughout all of it because it can be very unpleasant. And you may want support throughout all of it too. So consider that a possibility for your prep. Now, if you aren't able to access the pill through your doctor, there are luckily resources online for you before you go through the fagus stomach ulcer route to get the misoprostal. There's plancpills.org. That's a great resource for everyone, but especially people in states with restricted access. It'll tell you how people are finding abortion pills in your state and it'll help you access them through the mail. And they also have legal resources and a helpline available too. Then there's aidaccess.org. That's another option for pills by mail. If you live in a restricted state, they have European doctors that'll provide prescriptions for the pills to be shipped to you from a trusted pharmacy. And some other options, safe2ose.org, so safethenumber to choose.org, womenonweb.org, and womenhelp.org are all helpful options. And I'll link all of these in the show notes. Now, a big question you might have after doing an at-home abortion with the pills is did it actually work? You might be tempted to take another pregnancy test to make sure, but your hormones are still in pregnancy mode, so it can take several weeks for that to regulate. So if you take a test, it'll come out positive whether you're actually pregnant or not. So the best way to determine if it worked is going to the doctor to get an ultrasound after two weeks post pill. But if that's not accessible, unfortunately, you'll just have to wait at least four weeks for a pregnancy test to be accurate. According to Safe to Choose, if you use the medications according to the recommended instructions and you have Had a bleeding as abundant as your menstrual period or more for several hours, it's very likely that the medical abortion was successful. And your pregnancy symptoms like breast tenderness, nausea, and fatigue, those should gradually improve and then disappear around five days after using the pills. That's another good indication that they're successful. So those are the two options. There is a third that I'd like to address, and that's the topic of herbal abortion, which is something I'd strongly recommend against. As soon as the Roe versus Wade news came out, I saw a lot of dangerous information circulating on TikTok and Instagram, as tends to happen. Unless it's part of your culture and traditions and you have a deeply, deeply trusted practitioner that's guiding you and monitoring you, herbs are just too nuanced to work with on your own without the specialized knowledge that you need to make it safely happen. So I strongly, strongly recommend against it. The Archive of Healing is a really great resource for abortion information, but I'm gonna read you what they say about herbal methods in particular. So if you are considering this avenue, please listen up. Inserting any herbs into the vagina can cause life-threatening infections using essential oils or any abortive fashion herb is deadly. Several women have died while attempting herbal abortion with essential oils, so please do not do that. Also, herb dosages are very subjective to each individual and difficult to control. Abortive fashion herbs are often toxic and will cause liver and kidney damage or other serious side effects if used incorrectly or in the wrong dosages. Natural does not mean safe. Herbal abortion is unpredictable and, by the most generous of estimates, probably unsuccessful upwards of 60% of the time. Also, abortive fashion herbs may aggravate existing medical issues or interact dangerously with other drugs in a person's system. And any complications from herbal abortion must be treated at a reproductive health clinic immediately. And if an individual does not have access to an abortion clinic, attempting an abortion with herbs can be fatal. So I just want to put that out there to help you make a safe choice for yourself. Self-managed abortion with the pill at home is the safest option when care through a medical provider is not available, and it's endorsed by the World Health Organization for this very reason. Herbs can, however, assist in the process of abortion recovery, and I'll come to that shortly. But first I want to get to some questions you might have following the procedure. And the first is when the heck is my period coming back? When are things regulated? So, as with everything, everyone's different, but remember that your hormones are going to need a little time to regulate after pregnancy. Your period could return in as little as four weeks or it could take upwards of three months. And this is where tracking will be helpful. So that brings me to the next question: when will my temperature go back down? If you've been following along, you know that I like to use the symptothermal method of cycle tracking, which is what the fertility awareness method uses. And this means that you're tracking your basal body temperature every morning. So first thing when you wake up, that's your basal body temperature. Pre-ovulation, your body temperature is about 97.7 degrees and under. Post-ovulation, it rises consistently above that. So you'll notice a clear shift in the temperature pattern that indicates ovulation has occurred. Once you've ovulated, you can expect to menstruate within 12 to 16 days. So that luteal phase is a pretty fixed length. If your temperature stays high after 16 days, you'll want to take a pregnancy test around day 18. Progesterone, which is the pregnancy hormone that I mentioned, is high in the second half of your cycle to support pregnancy if the egg that you ovulated happens to be fertilized and implanted. It warms up the body a bit, so that's why your temperature goes up. And when pregnancy doesn't occur, progesterone drops and so does your temperature. So when you wake up one day and it's back down into the 97 range, you know that your period is imminent. Our bodies are very cool in that way, and we can use this to predict these main events in our cycles. But what happens when you're pregnant is that progesterone stays high, which is why I'm saying to test on day 18 because that luteal phase, again, is pretty fixed in length, so that high temp indicates possible pregnancy. Now, after an abortion, your body is still regulating, progesterone is still high, and even though you might not be pregnant anymore, your temperature hasn't gotten the memo yet. It can stay high for four to six weeks, which again is why that pregnancy test won't be accurate if you're looking to see whether the at-home procedure was successful. In terms of herbal support for your body post-abortion, here's what I'd recommend. And this is informed by my training with the Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism. Again, not medical advice. This is for educational purposes only. And of course, any action that you take should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner who understands your unique needs. The three categories of herbs that I'd look into are uterine tonics, nutritive herbs, and nervines. Abortion is obviously stressful on the uterus, so uterine tonics can help support and nourish it. And this includes red raspberry, so the leaves and the berries, and Uva ursi leaves. That's something that you can get more at a specialized shop, so an herb shop or a health store that has bulk herbs. For nutritive herbs, nettle is deeply nourishing and semi-accessible. You can find it in tea form at Whole Foods or at a supermarket with a particularly large tea section. Medical abortion with the pill is going to disrupt the endocrine system quite a bit. So herbs that support the liver and the kidneys are gonna support the endocrine system as well. And nettle is a great herb for both of those purposes. Also, dandelion, another nutritive herb that works here, and milk thistle is well known for its liver benefits too. And for nervines, this is more for the emotional impact of abortion. So you're gonna need support, whether that's moral support from friends and family, or some energetic plant love from Tulsi, also known as holy basil. Also, Linden, lemon balm, and chamomile are great ones as well. So let's talk now about how to prepare. So you've decided which method you want to go with, you've made an appointment, or you've arranged whatever you need to arrange. How should you prepare? I would first identify your support system. Your partner, your best friend, your therapist, whoever you need to tell. Figure out how you're gonna get to and from your appointment, or who you want to be around if you're doing it at home. If you have kids, you might want to arrange child care. Though you might feel okay after the procedure, you might still want some time alone. You also don't have to tell people why you need to be driven to the doctor or why they need to watch your kid if you don't want to. Also consider if you're doing the in-clinic procedure, where it's happening, and the safety measures that you need to take. If it's at an actual abortion clinic, call and ask to see if they have escorts to safely help you into the building. If they don't, hopefully you have someone with you. And if not, do your best to power through any protesters that may be outside. Obviously, not the most ideal situation, but you gotta do what you gotta do. After the logistics are sorted out, I'd go grocery shopping, request time off from work, or if you can't do that, organize your day so you don't have to be in meetings. If you work from home, give yourself permission to do the absolute bare minimum and just nud your mouse every so often. You may also want to have a few meals prepped and ready so you don't have to exert much energy if you don't need to. And yes, this is all a privilege, but if you have the opportunity to do this, your future self will thank you. If you need financial assistance for all of this, look into the National Network of Abortion Funds for help, and that's at abortionfunds.org. There you can find a fund to get help, or if you're interested in donating, you can do so there. And when you go to your appointment, wear comfortable clothing at home. If you're doing it at home, it's full-on goblin girl time. Big comfy t-shirts, PJs, loose fitting clothing, have some books or magazines around, things you want to watch on Netflix queued up, whatever you need for comfort and or distraction. This is not an easy process, and it's okay to feel nervous, it's okay to feel tense. In clinic, the doctor should be walking you through every step and checking in on your comfort and your pain levels. And remember to breathe. Remember how brave you are and how strong you are and that you're doing your best. And give yourself some space afterwards to reflect or to cry or gather yourself, do whatever you need to. If you want to support people who need abortions, it is tempting to post on social media that you are a safe haven and that people can go camping at your house. But I encourage you not to do that and to donate to abortion networks instead. And the reason why, I'm gonna share some audio from TikTok that gives a great explanation of why, much better than I ever could. So it's from Kiki Jaron or her handle is Black PNW Lady.

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If you're in a state that just banned abortion, please listen to me because this could save you. Right now on social media, there's a lot of people saying stuff like, oh, if you need to go camping, you can totally come and camp in my state and stay at my place. Please do not reach out to these people and never go to their place. I am begging you right now. While I think a lot of these people are well-meaning and they do want to actually help, they are also most likely not part of an abortion fund or an abortion network. An abortion fund or an abortion network knows how to transport people like you to a state to get a procedure done and then get you home under the radar. These people who are individuals are possibly the ones that will put you at the most risk. And let me explain. They have just gotten online and told the world that they are willing to host people who need an abortion. That means that anybody who is sitting with them can be considered as someone who is possibly seeking an abortion. Anti-abortion people now know who that person is and they will look for them and monitor them. Law enforcement can figure out that person's name and information and they can share that with other places, including your home state. Oh, but what about the safe haven rule? You are assuming that the system is going to work the way that it should work and that things aren't going to get leaked to your state government or your state law enforcement. This person might also make connections and reach out to you in ways that leave a paper trail. And it means that there is now evidence that you went to that state, met that person, and got an abortion done. And while these people might say stuff like, I'll never talk no matter what, everybody becomes a very different person the minute they get a letter from a lawyer.

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She goes on to say that there are established networks for you to go through, like the National Abortion Federation. And she stresses, again, not to stay with random strangers on the internet who claim they'll help you because they could very well be part of anti-abortion groups trying to keep you from getting an abortion. So go through the proper channels. If you are one of the people offering your home up, it's a nice gesture, but ultimately a potentially dangerous one for everyone involved. So you're better off using your energy to volunteer or to donate to groups that are already doing the work. Also, a way to support someone. If someone confides in you, if you've been asked to help someone in this position or you hear of someone's abortion story through the grapevine, keep it to yourself unless that person has given you explicit permission to share it with others. Outing someone else's abortion is an incredibly fucked up thing to do and a dangerous thing to do regardless of how you feel about it. So keep it to yourself. That is one way you can support people. And other ways you can support, again, donate to abortion funds. I'll link to a list of funds by state so you can support an organization local to you. Or again, you can go to abortionfunds.org to donate to the national network. You can also contact your local politicians. You know I'm a big fan of cyberbullying local politicians. Resistbot makes it easy to contact your reps. All you do is text Resist to the number 50409 and answer the questions that the bot texts you back. And then two minutes later, you have cyberbullied elected officials of your choice. And you'll want to urge them to make mysoprestal available over the counter in your state. And to support yourself, as always, I recommend getting to know your body and your cycle because it's the only way we're going to maintain some semblance of control here. And as I said before, I have a free excerpt of my cycle magic course about intuitive cycle tracking available in the show notes. And also I teach a workshop on fertility that might be helpful too. So if my workshops aren't an option for you, I do recommend the books Taking Charge of Your Fertility, The Fifth Vital Sign, and Period Power. These are all likely available at your local library. And if not, you can ask them to buy those books for uh for you so that they're available in the catalog. Did you guys know that? Did you know that they would just do that? Like, I don't know if every library does this, but a few years ago I found out that the Boston Public Library, you can just submit suggestions for books for them to purchase if they don't have them, and they'll just do it. They'll just buy books for you. I've been using the library since I was a little kid, and I had no idea that you could do that, but it's such an amazing resource that people often forget about. So use it to your advantage because a public resource like that is often a use it or lose it privilege, unfortunately. So take advantage of the library for your education. So that concludes the abortion episode. I hope this provided some valuable insight into your options, how to prepare and care for yourself throughout the process, and how you can support abortion access in this country. Please feel free to share this episode in your networks. If you have questions, you're always welcome to contact me via email or Instagram. Email's better since I I never use Instagram anymore, honestly. Um I'll see it eventually if you do contact me there, but better to just email me. And if there are a lot of questions, I may do a follow-up episode since this is such an important topic. So thank you so much for listening and for sharing. If you learned a lot, please consider giving the lunar body a positive rating in Apple Podcasts. It means a lot and it helps people like you find my show. I'll talk to you next week. Take care. Thank you for listening to The Lunar Body. This one woman production is listener supported. And if you'd like to support the show, you can check out the podcast perks in the show notes. Visit my virtual tip jar at goodwichkitchen.net slash tip, or you can subscribe and leave a rating or review in iTunes so other lovely lunar feminists like you find my show. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email me at thelunarbody at gmail.com or find me on Instagram at Goodwich Kitchen. Thank you so much for being here. Until next time.

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Kristen Ciccolini

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