As a young girl, I can remember asking my mother for something, to do something, or to go somewhere “because everyone was doing it!” I never wanted to be left out. My dear Mom would reply with something like, “If everyone was jumping off a bridge, would you do that too?”
Often, we are open to differentiating opinions and beliefs when it appears that everyone on the planet is participating in them. When our friends and favorite influencers start mirroring certain cultural trends, it is easy to assume everyone is replicating the same behaviors. This kind of hive-minded societal thinking pushes you to question: Perhaps you should, or could do the same thing too. Interestingly, science has a name for this: herd mentality.
Herd mentality, also known as mob mentality or crowd mentality, is a psychological phenomenon that significantly impacts human behavior. It occurs when individuals adopt the beliefs, behaviors, or attitudes of the majority in a group, often at the expense of their judgment or individuality. This behavior can be observed in various aspects of daily life from fashion trends to investment decisions and even political affiliations. (1)
As I read this definition, I had to laugh- it reminded me of the “fashion” I used to wear back in the day. You probably never heard of the “Dicky,” but this wonderful accessory was the cutout neck of a sweater (quite literally just the neck) that would pop out from under the collar of the shirt you had on, giving the illusion of you wearing a sweater underneath your clothes. It was bulky, hard to adjust- and always got twisted around underneath your shirt. It was an attempt at layering gone wrong! Nonetheless, I wore it – and thought I looked good! Yup, that was me jumping off a bridge, Mom! Just joining in the fun, and of course, regretting it later.
Many of our “Herd Mentality” actions are like the Dicky; low-impact, supposedly acceptable societal trends that won’t impact us greatly if we participate. However, some Herd Mentality participation comes at an extremely high cost- maybe even our lives. Today, there is a societal trend that brings great concerns regarding immediate and future physical and mental devastation to individuals that I feel compelled to highlight.
The abortion pill, or Plan C, has become commonplace; and expected. Almost a given in our society. However, potential dangers exist with participating in this procedure.
MAIL-ORDER ABORTION PILLS
The internet is easy, fast, and filled with options—all the things you’re looking for during an unplanned pregnancy. However, the internet also provides anonymity. You may be getting your pills from Mexico or India, and they do not have the FDA approval that you would need for any other medication in the United States.
They may also be coming from a middleman: someone who purchases pills from an online provider and then divides them up amongst the pregnant woman awaiting abortion pills. This person is not a doctor, nor does he provide FDA-approved products. Any of these pills can be ineffective, counterfeit, tainted, and unsafe.
96% of online pharmacies are illegitimate (2) and are violating laws that were put in place to protect patients from harmful black-market drugs. This doesn’t even begin to take into consideration the possible attempt to steal your identity or scam you for the “cost of the pill.” We need to use critical thinking when considering online pharmacy medication to ensure its safety.
TAKING THE ABORTION PILL WHILE ALONE
In December 2022, Guttmacher reported that over 50% of the abortions currently
done are through the abortion pill. This has become the herd mentality “go-to” for women experiencing unexpected pregnancies. When these drugs are dispensed through the mail,
it would be easy for a young woman to keep the pregnancy “secret” by taking the pill and dealing with it alone. Why could this be a bad decision?
- The first step in the standard of care for pregnancy is determining its placement with an ultrasound. The ultrasound easily finds the location of the implantation and determines if it will survive. If the pregnancy implants in the fallopian tubes or lower uterus area, this is considered an ectopic pregnancy and will not survive.If a woman takes the abortion pill with an ectopic pregnancy, her body will not abort the pregnancy. She will experience the same side effects of an abortion- such as cramping and heavy bleeding, but the pregnancy will remain. Eventually, as the fetus grows, it will expand and explode into her fallopian tube, causing massive life-threatening bleeding. All ectopic pregnancies are extremely dangerous, so it is highly recommended that all pregnancies get an ultrasound.
- Unexpected Hemorrhaging. While bleeding is expected, hemorrhaging is not. The FDA defines abortion hemorrhaging as filling at least two heavy flow pads per hour, for more than two consecutive hours. If you are experiencing this during an abortion, you need to seek immediate medical help. At the emergency room, let them know you have taken the pill and at what time. (4)
- The abortion pill works by mimicking the contractions experienced during labor. The contractions start shortly after taking the second pill and can be very extreme depending on your pain tolerance. Sudden cramping, nausea, and more can be swiftly expected. Having someone nearby to assist is important. The Mayo Clinic provides an extensive list of the side effects of Mifepristone on their website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/mifepristone-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20067123.
THE TRUTH
Here’s the truth: The Abortion Pill isn’t the “magical pill” that the herd wants us to accept. It comes with detrimental risks and a volume of side effects that haven’t been discovered yet. The FDA reversed itself during COVID and no longer requires adverse effects of the medication to be reported or captured to the public. They do not have to inform anyone of the dangers of the abortion pill (5). This must be changed so the public can have updated information regarding the severe side effects caused by the chemical abortion pill.
The more I read and research regarding the abortion pill, the less I recommend being part of the herd. Too many questions and issues cannot be answered at this time. Given this, I want to be that still, small voice calling to you on the bridge saying, “Don’t jump! We will figure this out, jumping off that bridge is not the answer.”
REFERENCES
- Zhang W, Yang D, Jin J, Diao L, Ma Q. The neural basis of herding decisions in enterprise clustering: an event-related potential study. Front Neurosci.
2019;13:1175. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01175
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168851021002402
- https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2022/02/medication-abortion-now-accounts-more-half-all-us-abortions
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/020687s022lbl.pdf
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33939340/