Terminating a pregnancy is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions a woman is likely to face in her life. If you are in this situation, it is important to forget about any religious or societal opinions and make the choice based solely on what is best for you.
There are many abortion specialist clinics like Clinic66 that are able to help you through the process of terminating your pregnancy, and they will give you all the support and information you need. However, the process is scary and intimidating, especially if you don’t know what to expect.
There are two ways in which a woman can terminate her pregnancy: medical and surgical. Here is all the information you need to know about the two different procedures.
Medical termination of pregnancy
The first type of abortion is known as a medical abortion and is only appropriate for early pregnancies. This procedure is essentially the induction of a miscarriage, so it is important that the woman is early on in her pregnancy.
In order to receive this form of abortion a woman will need to have had her pregnancy confirmed by a doctor and undergo an ultrasound to ensure that she has been pregnant for nine weeks or less. If it is confirmed that the woman is in the early stages of her pregnancy, she can proceed with a medical termination.
A medical termination of pregnancy is undertaken in two steps. The first step is usually done with a doctor or at a specialist clinic, whilst the second stage is completed at home or in a safe and comfortable environment.
The first part of a medical abortion involves taking a tablet known as Mifepristone. This tablet is a progesterone antagonist, which will result in the pregnancy ceasing its growth. This basically means that after a woman takes this tablet, the foetus will stop growing and developing.
Many women worry about this part of the process, and feeling nervous is completely normal. However, women generally don’t feel any different after this first stage of the process. In some circumstances women may encounter light spotting, but this is nothing to be concerned about.
After taking this first pill at a clinic or surgery, it is recommended that the woman returns home before the second stage of the procedure. The second stage of the termination is the consumption of four tablets. The second lot of tablets are known as Misoprostol.
Soon after taking these tablets, the woman will begin to experience cramping and bleeding. This generally lasts for about six hours. Generally after about seven hours the medical termination is complete.
It is however, recommended that the woman relaxes and recovers for the twelve hours following her medical abortion.
Surgical termination of pregnancy
This form of abortion is used for women who are further along in their pregnancy when they decide to terminate. It is possible to get a surgical termination anywhere between six to twenty weeks after conception. However, after fourteen weeks, the process requires a more complex procedure.
A surgical termination is performed in an operating room whilst the woman is under sedation. This procedure involves removing the pregnancy tissue from the uterus using a small plastic tube.
Although this sounds daunting, the procedure is relatively simple when done by an experienced clinician. This part of the treatment will generally take between ten to fifteen minutes. However, the patient will need to remain at the clinic for up to three hours after the procedure before returning home to rest.
Oftentimes, women recover relatively quickly from a surgical abortion. It is normal to feel tired after the procedure due to the sedation, though. Other side effects can sometimes include cramping pains and light bleeding.
Although recovery times are usually quick, it is normal to feel emotional and drained after a surgical abortion. This is why it is recommended that the patient goes back to the clinic two weeks after the procedure to ensure she has made a full physical and emotional recovery.
Having an abortion is an emotional and difficult experience. However, it is important that women understand that this option is available to them and that there are specialist clinics that will help them throughout the process. It is important to go to a reputable clinic for anything medical, and it is no different when it comes to getting an abortion. If you are well informed and have made your decision, the experts at any sexual health clinic will be able to help you get the best treatment available.
