Abortions

Abortion pill (medication abortion) services are available by appointment only. Please try to eat before your appointment to reduce nausea and keep your energy levels up.

On the day of your appointment, plan for a 1 to 2-hour visit to our health center. 

This visit will typically include counseling on your pregnancy options, paperwork, lab work and may include an ultrasound if needed. Patients who meet certain medical criteria can choose not to have an ultrasound. You will be given medications in the office along with instructions on how to use them. You can also get tested for sexually transmitted infections and make a plan for birth control if you want. You can bring one person who is 18 or older, who can wait in the waiting room, but we ask that you do not bring anyone under the age of 18.

After your appointment, you will take the pills at home at the scheduled time discussed with your care team. You should plan to stay at home or in a comfortable location close to a bathroom for the next 8-12 hours and it can take up to 24 hours for the process to be complete. You may experience heavy cramping, bleeding and blood clots, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. You may need to come back for a follow-up appointment to confirm the abortion worked.

Procedure abortions are available by appointment only.

We will call you 1-3 days before your appointment to confirm some of your information and to review guidelines for your appointment.  

Before your appointment, make sure to follow these guidelines:

Visitors:

• Do not bring children with you to your appointment. Please set up childcare in advance.
• You may bring an adult support person with you to your appointment. If you want, they can be with you for some of the visit, and they will need to be in the waiting room for some of the visit.

Home Medications:

• If you take any medications, continue to take them normally before your appointment or bring them with you on the day of your appointment.
• If you have asthma, bring your inhaler if you have one.

Sedation and Eating:

• In Rhode Island: You have the option of being asleep for the procedure. This is deep sedation.
  • If you plan to have deep sedation, do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your appointment. Do not chew gum or suck on candy.
  • If you are on medications, take them as scheduled with only a sip of water.
  • If you are not having sedation, you can eat and drink normally before your procedure.
• In Connecticut: You will be awake for the procedure but have the option to receive relaxing medication through an IV. This is moderate sedation.
  • If you plan to have moderate sedation and are less than 18 weeks gestation: you can eat a small meal (eg. toast, crackers) and drink water before your procedure, but you should avoid meat, dairy, and eggs.
  • If you plan to have moderate sedation and could be 18 weeks or more: do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your appointment. Do not chew gum or suck on candy. If you are on medications, take them as scheduled with only a sip of water.

Getting Home:

• If you have sedation, you must have a responsible friend or family member who can go home with you to make sure you are safe while you travel.This must be someone you know personally, so a taxi driver or ride-share driver does not count. If you do not have someone, we cannot provide sedation.
• If you do not have sedation, you may go home by yourself and drive yourself home.

All patients receive local anesthesia (numbing injections) regardless of choice of sedation.

On the day of your appointment, plan for a 3 to 5-hour visit.

When you arrive, there may be protesters outside of the health center. We suggest you avoid interaction with them and walk straight into the entrance of our health center. Learn more about protesters at health centers.

During the abortion procedure, you will receive pain medication plus IV sedation if you choose to. Then, your clinician will help empty your uterus with a gentle suction or other medical instruments.

In addition to your abortion care, your appointment will typically include:

• A pregnancy test
• A chance to speak with a trained staff person about these options: abortion, adoption, and parenting
• A conversation with the health care provider about your health history
• Lab tests and blood work
• A pelvic exam and ultrasound
• Medicines to make the abortion more comfortable
• Birth control information
• Birth control methods
• The option for testing for sexually transmitted infections

Most in-clinic abortion procedures do not require a follow up exam.