- The Abortion Pill
- First trimester abortion (up to 13 weeks)
- Second trimester abortion (up to 23.5 weeks)
About First Trimester Surgical Abortion
A first trimester surgical abortion, or a D&C, is performed up to 13 weeks of pregnancy, and is a vacuum aspiration procedure. You can choose to be awake or asleep for surgery, which lasts approximately 3-5 minutes.
The fee for this procedure includes pregnancy testing, admitting, pre-operative history and physical, ultrasound, lab work, surgery, RhoGAM or MicRhoGAM (if required), medications given on the day of surgery, post-operative medications and your post-operative care as authorized by us.
Before You Arrive
- Do not eat, drink or smoke after midnight on the day of your surgery. This includes gum, candy, water, etc.
If You Take Medications
- In some instances you may be instructed by our medical staff to take your regular medications with a small sip of water.
- If you take insulin for diabetes, DO NOT take insulin in the morning.
- If you have an inhaler for asthma, please bring it with you, even if you rarely use it.
- Please bring any medications you are currently taking.
Preparing for Surgery
- Plan to spend 3 to 5 hours under our care at the clinic. Make sure that you have a prearranged for a ride to and from the clinic.
- Do not wear any jewelry, including earrings, bracelets, rings, etc. All body piercing jewelry must be removed. If you are going to be asleep for surgery, you may not have any piercings in the nose or mouth.
- Do not bring any valuables or a large amount of cash.
- Please do not bring children to the clinic.
About Your Visit with Us
When you arrive at the clinic, you will be asked to complete personal demographic and health information and consent forms. An admissions staff member will explain the procedure to you and assist you in completing additional paperwork. A lab technician will draw a sample of your blood to determine your Rh factor and iron level. The admissions staff member will escort you to your locker where you will change into a gown that we provide. Your vital signs will be taken.Pre-Surgery
The clinician (a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner) will review your medical history and perform a physical examination. If you have chosen to stay awake for surgery (local anesthesia), the clinician will numb the cervical area with injections of a local anesthetic. A medical assistant will escort you to the surgical suite. If you have chosen to be asleep for surgery (general anesthesia), you will go to the surgical suite and have an IV placed in order to administer the anesthesia.Surgery
You will be in the surgical suite about 10-15 minutes. A licensed CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) will administer anesthesia and a licensed medical doctor who is board certified in OB/GYN will perform the abortion by gently removing the contents of the uterus by vacuum aspiration.Patients who are asleep for surgery are completely asleep. They feel no pain or discomfort. Patients who are awake for surgery should expect to feel cramping and discomfort for 3-5 minutes during surgery.
Recovery
After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room where trained medical personnel, including nurses and medical assistants will care for you until you are ready to be discharged. Recovery room time is approximately one hour for most patients.Discharge
After you leave the recovery room, we will offer you a light snack. Our staff will explain your post-operative care. Before you are discharged to your driver, you will receive your medications to take home.You will also be given an instruction sheet with our 24-hour emergency number. Call with any questions or to discuss any problems that occur after your visit.
