Abortion Procedures

If you’ve become pregnant from unprotected sex, it’s difficult to decide what choices to make. One choice is abortion – terminating the embryo and thus ending the pregnancy.

There are two types of abortion: medical abortion through the abortion pill, and surgical abortion, a surgical procedure most often performed at abortion clinics such as Planned Parenthood.

Like all medical and surgical procedures, abortion carries its fair share of risks – both physical and emotional. Schedule an appointment at the PHC to discuss what option is right for you.

We do not perform abortions or refer for abortions.

Medical Abortion (Abortion Pill)

The abortion pill is a two-part medical procedure that terminates pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

You will take several mifepristone pills (these pills are commonly known by the brand name Mifeprex or the name RU-486). These pills cut off the embryo’s supply of blood and nutrients, and the embryo will die. At the second appointment, you will take two tablets of misoprostol (also known as Cytotec). Some doctors may have you swallow these tablets, while other doctors may insert the drug into your vagina. The misoprostol will cause you to begin cramping, expelling the embryo from your body. 

After this, you may expect bleeding and spotting for up to 16 days. A follow-up appointment is usually required to make sure the embryo is completely expelled.

Side effects include:

• abdominal pain
• severe cramping
• heavy bleeding
• possible infection

Before scheduling a medical abortion, receive a free ultrasound from the PHC to determine your pregnancy’s viability.

Regret taking the abortion pill?

Reversal may still be possible within 72 hours of taking the pill. For more information, visit abortionpillreversal.com.

We do not perform abortions or refer for abortions.

Abortion Health & Safety Checklist

Often abortion seems like a ‘quick fix’ that will make everything snap back to normal, but the fact is that your decision – weather you choose abortion, carry and parent, or carry and release for adoption – will have lifelong consequences for you. Take your time to carefully research all your options before you make a final decision. Slow down and make sure this is the best choice for you.

Go through the points below to see if any apply to you.

– I am 100% sure I am pregnant.

– I have had an ultrasound to confirm my pregnancy and ensure that it is progressing normally.

– I have carefully researched all abortion procedures.

– I have carefully researched all the potential physical complications that could arise due to an abortion.

– I have carefully researched all the potential emotional complications that could arise due to an abortion.

– The abortion clinic has shown me, in writing, that they will care for me if I experience any side effects or complications.

– The abortion doctor has hospital priviliges at a local hospital and I have been given documentation to prove this.

– I have carefully researched the abortion clinic and I am 100% certain that no women have been hospitalized, injured, or suffered serious complication due to an abortion performed at this clinic.

– I have been tested for STDs.

– I have carefully researched fetal development.

– I understand that if I elect to have a chemical abortion it is possible to reverse the procedure after I take the first pill. Visit abortionpillreversal.com for more information.

If you can not say yes to each statement above, take some time and make sure that you have done everything necessary to prepare for this procedure. If you arrive at the clinic and you are not comfortable with what is going on, you are free to leave. At no point can the clinic detain you. If you are frightened and feel that you cannot leave call the police immediately. If someone is forcing you to have an abortion and you are in immediate danger please call 911. If someone is pressuring you or threating you, call 911 and contact The Justice Foundation at 210-614-7157.

Medical Abortion (Abortion Pill)

The abortion pill is a two-part medical procedure that terminates pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

You will take several mifepristone pills (these pills are commonly known by the brand name Mifeprex or the name RU-486). These pills cut off the embryo’s supply of blood and nutrients, and the embryo will die. At the second appointment, you will take two tablets of misoprostol (also known as Cytotec). Some doctors may have you swallow these tablets, while other doctors may insert the drug into your vagina. The misoprostol will cause you to begin cramping, expelling the embryo from your body. 

After this, you may expect bleeding and spotting for up to 16 days. A follow-up appointment is usually required to make sure the embryo is completely expelled.

Side effects include:

• abdominal pain
• severe cramping
• heavy bleeding
• possible infection

Before scheduling a medical abortion, receive a free ultrasound from the PHC to determine your pregnancy’s viability.

Regret taking the abortion pill?

Reversal may still be possible within 72 hours of taking the pill. For more information, visit abortionpillreversal.com.

We do not perform abortions or refer for abortions.

Surgical Abortion

Surgical abortion is more invasive than medical abortion, but it can performed later-term, depending on the laws of the state. Most states do not allow abortions after the point of fetal viability (usually around 24 weeks).

Aspiration (suction)

up to 13 weeks

Summary

Used throughout the first trimester of pregnancy, this procedure uses a vacuum device to suction out the embryo.

For later first trimester pregnancies, the embryo’s body must be pulled apart before being suctioned out. In addition, a curette may be used to scrape out any additional fetal parts.

Step by step

• Cervix softened using medication the night before
• Local anesthetic injected in cervix
• Cervix stretched open using dilating rods
• Plastic tube inserted in the uterus and connected to a vacuum device that pulls the fetus’s body apart and out
• A curette may be used to scrape any remaining fetal parts out of the uterus
• Removed tissue examined to verify completeness

Dilation & Evacuation (D&E)

13 weeks and up

Summary

The majority of second trimester abortions performed are D&E. Some operators end the life of the fetus through lethal injection a few days before the procedure.

Because of the fetus’ growing size, the fetus must be pulled apart before the pieces are removed. A curette or suction device is used to remove the remaining tissue.

Step by step

• Cervix softened using medication for 2 days before procedure
• Local anesthetic and sedation given, or general anesthesia
• Cervix stretched further open with dilating rods
• Forceps used to pull fetal parts out through the cervix
• Account for all fetal body parts: skull, spine, ribcage, four limbs
• A curette or suction is used to remove any remaining tissue or blood clots

Dilation & Evacuation (After Viability)

24 weeks and up

Summary

This procedure is performed on late-term pregnancies and is associated with a much greater risk to the life and health of the mother. The procedure is similar to the D&E 13 weeks and under procedure.

The fetus’s life is ended by injected digoxin or potassium chloride into the fetus before the procedure. Then the fetus’s body is pulled apart using forceps and removed through the cervix.

Step by step

• Procedure takes 2-3 days
• Lethal injections may be given to stop the baby’s heart
• Cervix softened and dilated for 3 days prior using medication
• General anesthesia may be used, or IV sedation and local anesthetic
• Surgical instruments used to grasp and pull fetal parts out through the opened cervix
• Fetal skull usually needs to be crushed before removal

We do not perform abortions or refer for abortions.

Abortion Risks

Like any surgical or medical procedure, abortion has the possibility for physical and emotional complications (scroll down for abortion recovery).

Even though some risks may be low, it’s important to educate yourself in the possibilities. Also, risk to yourself increases the further your pregnancy progresses. In addition, certain preexisting health conditions can complicate the abortion process. Read below for more details.

If you’re not sure abortion is worth the risk, schedule an appointment at the PHC and talk over your options with a peer mentor.

All women, especially young teenagers, are at risk for damage to their cervix during an abortion, which can lead to complications with later pregnancies.
(Source: Focus on the Family)

Abortion Recovery

Abortion is often considered a solution for the stressful circumstances of unexpected pregnancy. However, the actual act of receiving an abortion can have long-term psychological repercussions.

Post Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS) is the official term for the psychological after-affects of abortion. As a sub category of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), PASS is a real and devastating illness that should be treated with care and love.

Symptoms of PASS include:

• guilt
• anxiety
• numbness
• depression
• flashbacks
• suicidal thoughts

If you’re struggling with guilt or depression following an abortion, you are not alone in this struggle. At the PHC, we’re here to get you started on the road to renewal and healing – without judgement.

Online Healing Resources

Abortion can be a traumatic experience so if you don’t feel ready to talk with a peer mentor face-to-face, that’s okay. Below are some online resources to get you started. We’re here whenever you need us.