Abortion

If you are pregnant, you have the choice to have the baby, place the baby up for adoption, or have an abortion. If you are considering abortion, please speak with a medical professional before making your final decision. If you do not want a child at this time, you may consider adoption, the morning after pill, abortion pill or a surgical abortion. An IUD may be used to terminate a pregnancy, but it will not be discussed on this page.

What is the Morning After Pill?

The morning after pill is a series of birth control pills taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. The doctor may have you take 2 or 3 pills in the morning (of the highest dosage) and two or three at night (of the highest dosage). Taking the series of birth control pills may or may not prevent pregnancy. There is a 75% percent success rate with the morning after pill.

When you take a higher dosage of birth control pills, it tricks the body into thinking it's time to shed the uterine lining. If an egg is fertilized, once it reaches the uterus, it will no longer be the optimal environment for implantation. Therefore, the egg will be discharged out of the body. Sometimes, this does not work and the fertilized egg still implants into the uterine wall. If at this time you did not want to continue this pregnancy, you would have to consider the abortion pill or a surgical abortion.

What will happen after I take the Morning After Pill?

After you take the series of birth control pills to end the pregnancy, you may experience nausea, vomiting, headaches, breast tenderness and irregular bleeding. You should get your period a little earlier or later than you normally would. If you do not get your period within 4 weeks after taking the morning after pill, consult a doctor.

The Non-surgical Method of Abortion (Abortion Pill):

If you are 7 weeks pregnant or less, you may want to consider a medical abortion, that does not require the surgical methods of an abortion. This method uses methotrexate to terminate a pregnancy up to the 7th week. It has a 90 to 95% success rate for terminating a pregnancy. Methotrexate may take anywhere from 6 to 28 days to end the pregnancy. If this method does not work, you will need to have a surgical abortion performed. 

Some women will not experience any side effects after taking methotrexate. If side effects are experienced, they may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and mild sores in the mouth.

How is the medical abortion performed?

Methotrexate will be given as an injection and then approximately a week after the injection, misoprostol will be given as a suppository or vaginal inserts. Usually, cramping will be experienced within 12 hours after the suppository or vaginal insert. The medical abortion generally takes 24 to 36 hours to terminate the pregnancy.

Note: Please contact your doctor for more information about a medical abortion.

What if I want or need a surgical abortion?

If you have carefully considered all of your options, you will need to contact someone in your surrounding area for a surgical abortion. The type of abortion procedure you will have will depend on how far along you are in your pregnancy. Most doctors will not perform a surgical abortion until after the 6th week of pregnancy. The average cost of a surgical abortion during the first trimester is approx. between $250 and $450. Some states may accept Medicaid and some states require parental notification for women under the age of 18.

Below is a chart that tells which type of abortion you may have depending on the stage of pregnancy you are in:

Stage of Pregnancy

Abortion Procedure

Early First Trimester (1-3 months)


Suction Curettage (Vacuum Aspiration):

Cervix is dilated and a tube is inserted into the uterus. The embryo is removed by suction.

Late First Trimester (1-3 months)

Dilation and Curettage (D & C): Same thing that is done after a miscarriage.

Cervix is dilated and an instrument with a sharp hook on the end, scraps the uterine wall and then the embryo and uterine lining is suctioned out.

Second Trimester (4-6 months)

Dilation and Evacuation (D & E):

Cervix is dilated widely and forceps are used to remove the fetus in pieces.

Third Trimester (7-9 months)


  • Saline or prostaglandin abortions

A needle is inserted through the abdomen into the amniotic fluid. A mixture of a saline (salt) solution is injected around the fetus. The fetus is delivered dead.

  • Hysterotomies:

This is similar to a cesarean (c-section). An incision is made into the abdomen and then the fetus is removed.

  • Partial Birth Abortions

Note: Please contact your doctor for more information about a medical abortion.

 
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