A first trimester in-office abortion, or D&C (Dilation and Curettage), is a 5-7 minute surgical procedure. First, the doctor stretches the cervix (the opening of the uterus) open a small amount. After the doctor can reach the pregnancy they will use a sterile plastic tube and a gentle suction to empty the uterus.
The abortion pill uses two medicines to cause a miscarriage and end a pregnancy. One medication ends the pregnancy and the other causes the pregnancy to pass. After you take this medication, it is normal to have heavy cramping and bleeding.
We will give you prescription pain medication to help lessen the pain of with abortion pill. Even after taking the pain medications we provide, you may still feel painful cramps until the pregnancy passes.
With the in-office procedure sedation is available. This means we can give you medicine to make you feel sleepy so you will not feel any pain, which many patients prefer.
The in-office abortion is safe and works almost all of the time.
The medication abortion is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy in the privacy of your home. It can be used up to 12 weeks. Approximately 1.75 million people in the U.S. and millions more worldwide have chosen the Abortion Pill to end a pregnancy. It is effective approximately 92-98% of the time. How well the medication works can depend on how far along you are in the pregnancy.
less than 7 weeks — Works about 98 out of 100 times the medication is taken
7 weeks — Works about 97 out of 100 times the medication is taken
8 weeks — Works about 95 out of 100 times the medication is taken
9 weeks — Works about 97 – 99 out of 100 times the medication is taken with two doses of misoprostol
10 weeks — Works about 97 – 98 out of 100 times the medication is taken with two doses of misoprostol
11 weeks — Works about 95 out of 100 times the medication is taken with two to three doses of misoprostol
12 weeks or more — Works about 92 out of 100 times the medication is taken with two to three doses of misoprostol
The surgical procedure takes one day. The whole visit is normally 3-5 hours.
With the medication abortion you will have an office visit on the first day then spend 1-2 days at home completing the abortion process. The office visit for this procedure is normally 1-2 hours.
Our staff can talk with you about your options, as we want you to feel comfortable with your decision.