Abortion Risks and Procedures • Thrive Orlando

Chemical/Medical Abortion *($500-$750)

up to 9-10 weeks after last period

Mifepristone (RU-486 or the abortion pill) is a medication given orally during your first office visit. This medication blocks progesterone from the uterine lining, causing the lining to break down, and shutting off the blood supply to the embryo.
Misoprostol is a second tablet that, depending on your provider, is either taken orally or inserted vaginally about 2 days later. The tablets will cause cramping and bleeding to expel the fetus. This process may take several days or weeks.
- A physical exam is required to determine eligibility for this abortion procedure. You are not eligible if you have any of the following: ectopic pregnancy, ovarian mass, IUD, corticosteroid use, adrenal failure, anemia, bleeding disorders or use of blood thinners, asthma, liver or kidney problems, heart disease, or high blood pressure. You may be given antibiotics to prevent infection.
- A physical exam is done about two weeks later to ensure the abortion was complete and to check for complications.

Side effects and risks:

Severe pain/cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heavy bleeding/hemorrhage, infection (RU-486 suppresses the immune system).
Chemical/medical abortion has been associated with higher rates of prolonged bleeding, nausea, vomiting, and pain than a surgical abortion. It is extremely important to consult a doctor for a thorough exam prior to taking Mifepristone!
The procedure is unsuccessful up to 8-10% of the time with the potential need for an additional surgical abortion to complete the process.
NOT effective with ectopic pregnancy. For more information: abortionpillrisks.org

approximately 6 to 16 weeks after last period

Prior to the abortion, you may be given medication for pain and possibly sedated. Your doctor may also give you antibiotics to help prevent infection.
You will lie on your back with your feet in stirrups as a speculum is inserted to open the vagina.
A local anesthetic is administered to your cervix to numb it. Then a tenaculum (a surgical instrument with long handles and a clamp at the end) is used to hold the cervix in place for the cervix to be dilated and stretched by rods that vary in size. The rods may be put in 1-3 days prior to the actual abortion.
When the cervix is wide enough, a long plastic tube connected to a suction device is inserted into the uterus to remove the fetus and placenta. The doctor may also use a curette, a loop-shaped knife, to scrape the inside of the uterus to ensure that it has been completely emptied.
The procedure usually lasts 10-15 minutes, but recovery typically requires staying at the clinic for one to four hours for recovery and observation from sedation.

Side effects and risks:

Cramping, nausea, sweating, and feeling faint. Less frequent side effects include heavy or prolonged bleeding, blood clots, damage to the cervix, uterus or other organs.
Infection from one of these reasons: incomplete removal of tissue; an untreated STD; or from bacteria being introduced to the uterus.
- Infection can cause fever, pain, abdominal tenderness and possibly scar tissue. Scarring can make it more difficult to get or stay pregnant in the future.

approximately 16-24 weeks after last period

In most cases, 24 hours prior to the actual abortion, your provider will insert a laminaria rod inside your cervix. This absorbs fluid from your body, causing the rod to swell up to 10x its original size and dilate the cervix.
To begin the abortion, a tenaculum (a surgical instrument with long handles and a clamp at the end) will be used to keep the cervix and uterus in place, and cone-shaped rods of increasing size are used to continue to open the cervix. Your doctor may use medication to numb the cervix.
In later second trimester abortions, you may be given a shot through your abdomen into the amniotic fluid or directly into the fetus’s heart to ensure that fetal death has occurred.
A long tube will then be inserted through the cervix to begin suctioning amniotic fluid and fetal tissue. Forceps may be used to remove larger parts.
Your provider may use a curette (a surgical instrument shaped like a scoop or spoon) to scrape the lining of the uterus to ensure any residual tissue is removed.
The procedure normally takes between 15-30 minutes. The fetal remains are usually examined to ensure everything was removed and that the abortion was complete.
An antibiotic will most likely be given to help prevent infection.

Side effects and risks:

Nausea, bleeding, and cramping which may last for up to two weeks following the procedure.
Although rare, the following are additional risks related to dilation and evacuation: damage to uterine lining or cervix, perforation (or puncture/hole) of the uterus, infection, and blood clots. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if post-abortion symptoms persist or worsen.

approximately 21 weeks after last period to full-term

Two days before the procedure, a laminaria rod is inserted inside your cervix. This absorbs fluid from your body, causing the rod to swell up to 10x its original size and dilate the cervix.
Medication will be injected through your abdomen to cause the death of the fetus and make the fetal tissue more pliable.
Your water should break on the third day and you should return to the clinic.
The fetus is rotated and forceps are used to grasp and pull the legs, shoulders, and arms through the birth canal.
A small incision is made at the base of the skull to allow a suction catheter inside. The catheter removes all brain material until the skull collapses. The fetus is then completely removed.
The availability of any procedure used in the third trimester is based on the laws of that state.

Side effects and risks:

Nausea, bleeding, and cramping which may last for up to two weeks following the procedure.
Although rare, the following are additional risks related to dilation and evacuation: damage to uterine lining or cervix, perforation (or puncture/hole) of the uterus, infection, and blood clots. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if post-abortion symptoms persist or worsen.
There is an increased chance of emotional difficulties from the reality of more advanced fetal development. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you are concerned, depressed, or have thoughts about harming yourself or others.