In-Clinic Abortion

Your visit will last between 3-5 hours.

You will receive the following services during your visit:

• Vaginal or abdominal ultrasound
• Lab work including urine test and blood draw
• Education session
• Birth control consultation
• The abortion procedure and will spend time in our recovery room

Please make sure you eat before your appointment. For this appointment, there are no restrictions on food.

If choosing conscious sedation (mild sedation), you cannot drive yourself home, so if you do not have a companion to drive you, you must arrange for a ride share, public transportation, or a taxi to and from the appointment.

Patients choosing local anesthesia are able to drive home but are encouraged to bring a driver if possible.

We ask that you not use over-the-counter medications, alcohol, or street drugs for at least 24 hours prior to your appointment.

Any support person brought to your appointment MUST have a photo ID if you wish for them to be part of your visit.

Please continue to take any prescribed medication as directed.

Ensure you have enough menstrual pads at home to last for at least two weeks of bleeding. Please wear loose and comfortable clothing and underwear that can hold a menstrual pad to your appointment.

It is preferred and helpful that children do not accompany you to this appointment due to the long visit length. If you must be accompanied by children, a separate responsible adult is required at all times to care for the child in the waiting area.

*Please read below to know what to expect at the time of our visit and how to be prepared*

Your visit will last between 6-8 hours.

You will receive the following services during your visit:

• Vaginal or abdominal ultrasound
• Lab work including urine test and blood draw
• Education session
• Birth control consultation
• Dilation procedure
• Abortion procedure and spend time in our recovery room

Please make sure you eat before your appointment. For this appointment, there are no restrictions on food.

The provider will review your medical history and ultrasound before starting the abortion.

Most patients with pregnancies of 16 weeks or more will have two procedures on the day of the appointment to complete the abortion.

The first process will include dilators being placed into the uterus. The dilators are about the size of matchstick and 1-2 will be placed into the cervix depending on your medical history.

(Dilators are to help dilate cervix by absorbing cervical mucous and expanding.)

The insertion of the dilators may cause discomfort, so Ibuprofen will be given and a local numbing medication will be injected at the cervix to help with any discomfort.

You will also be given medication that will help further prepare your cervix.

Most people do very well with this part and there are minimal risks.

While waiting for the medication to dilate the cervix, you may have cramping and discomfort and rarely a pregnancy will deliver after the insertion.

It is important that you remain on the health center campus while you wait. You can be either in your car or inside the health center during this time.

Please remember you will be at the center for 6-8 hours, so we ask that you bring snacks or a book to help with your waiting time.

If you are over 19 weeks based on the ultrasound, you will not be able to eat after the dilators are placed until the second part of the procedure is over (i.e. until the abortion is complete)

2 hours before the second part of the procedure, you will get a medication to place in your cheeks, which will soften your cervix and make the removal of the pregnancy easier and quicker.

This medication may cause some painful cramping, and you can use one of our heating pads to help with the discomfort.

We highly recommend getting sedation for the second part of the procedure (removal of the pregnancy) as it is painful.

You cannot drive yourself after you get sedation, but you can use a rideshare service.

We offer moderate sedation, not deep sedation, and most people are awake and may have discomfort or some pain during the procedure.

Most people do very well with the medications we provide and do not need for additional pain medication during or after the procedure.

Moderate sedation helps most patients feel relaxed during the procedure. We have advocates in the room to help support you through the process, which is about 10 min or so.

For this type of sedation, you will need to have someone accompany you home. This person will have to be present the health center before starting the procedure

If you want to be totally asleep for a procedure, we can refer you to another provider

You will stay in our recovery area for up to 45 minutes after the procedure

You can get birth control (including long-acting methods like an IUD or an implant) and STI testing at the same appointment.