What does abortion involve?

Methods

There are a few different methods of abortion that are used, depending on what stage the pregnancy is at.

Whatever method of abortion used, it will usually involve spending a day at the hospital or clinic, and for many women it is important to have someone with them to support them.

Under 9 weeks

If you have an abortion under 9 weeks, the most common method used is the medical abortion, sometimes known as the abortion pill. This method does not involve any surgery or anaesthetic.

The medical abortion involves taking two medications which cause a miscarriage. The medication is taken over 48 hours and so requires two visits to the clinic. The first medication is a pill, mifepristone, which you swallow.

The second medication is prostaglandin, a pessary that is inserted into the vagina 36-48 hours later. 4-6 hours after this the pregnancy will end in a very heavy bleed, and you may experience painful, period-pain type cramps.

Between 7-13 weeks

If you have an abortion under 13 weeks, the most common method used is vacuum aspiration. This is not a surgical procedure, but does involve having a local or, in some cases, a general anaesthetic.

Vacuum aspiration involves a day visit or an overnight stay in a clinic. A tube is inserted into the vagina and passed through the cervix to the womb and the pregnancy ended by the foetus and contents of the womb being sucked out. This all happens very quickly and most women will be able to return home within a few hours.

Over 13 weeks

As a pregnancy continues, the foetus grows bigger and so methods of abortion over 3 months may vary depending on the stage of pregnancy. In general they usually involve having a general anaesthetic, and the surgical dilation of the cervix to enable removal of the foetus using suction and forceps.

What happens afterwards?

Within the weeks following the abortion you will see a doctor for a check-up. Also, after an abortion it is normal to experience bleeding and discomfort for a few days, and it might feel a bit like you are having a period. But if you are bleeding very heavily and feel very unwell it is important to see a doctor in case you have developed an infection.