Abortion
Looking for information about taking an abortion pill
or different types of abortion procedures?
You are welcome to call us at 803-773-8858 to ask your questions.
Methods of Abortions
RU486 (Abortion Pill)
Within 10 weeks after LMP . This drug is only approved for use in women up to the 70th day after their last menstrual period. The procedure usually requires several office visits. First, you take a pill called mifepristone. Pregnancy needs the hormone progesterone to grow.
Mifepristone blocks the boy’s own progesterone, stopping the pregnancy from growing. Then you take the second medicine, misoprostol up to 48 hours later which causes cramps to expel the embryo. A final visit is a follow-up ultrasound to determine if the procedure has been completed.
RU486 will not work in the case of an ectopic pregnancy.
This is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the embryo lodges outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. If not diagnosed early, the tube may burst, causing internal bleeding and in some cases, the death of the woman.
Suction Curettage
Between 6 to 13 weeks after LMP This is the most common surgical abortion procedure. Because the baby is larger, the doctor must first stretch open the cervix using metal rods. Opening the cervix may be painful, so local or general anesthesia is typically needed. After the cervix is stretched open, the doctor inserts a hard plastic tube into the uterus, and then connects this tube to a suction machine.
The suction pulls the fetus' body apart and out of the uterus. The doctor may also use a loop-shaped knife called a curette to scrape the fetus and fetal parts out of the uterus. (The doctor may refer to the fetus and fetal parts as the “products of conception.”)
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
Between 13 to 24 weeks after LMP This surgical abortion is done during the second trimester of pregnancy. At this point in pregnancy, the fetus is too large to be broken up by suction alone and will not pass through the suction tubing. In this procedure, the cervix must be opened wider than in a first-trimester abortion.
This is done by inserting numerous thin rods made of seaweed a day or two before the abortion. Once the cervix is stretched open the doctor pulls out the fetal parts with forceps. The fetus's skull is crushed to ease removal. A sharp tool (called a curette) is also used to scrape out the contents of the uterus, removing any remaining tissue.
Abortion is not just a simple procedure; it may have many side effects.
We offer accurate information about all your pregnancy options; however, we do not offer or refer for abortion services. The information presented on this website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.
Morning After Pill (Plan B)
If you’ve recently had unprotected sex or the condom broke, you might be feeling anxious about the possibility of pregnancy. Call for an appointment and one of our staff will be happy to discuss it with you, confirm if you're pregnant and advise you on your options.
Emergency contraception is any type of birth control used after unprotected intercourse, or a known or suspected contraceptive failure, in an attempt to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraceptives may reduce the chance of pregnancy.
The “morning-after pill” is a large dose of oral contraceptives. Known as Plan B, the pill is actually two tablets, one taken within 72 hours of intercourse and the second 12 hours later. It is NOT the same as RU-486.
Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In addition, it may inhibit implantation. It is not effective once the process of implantation has begun.
Emergency contraception does not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and there are potential risks and side effects to be considered.
To learn more about emergency contraception, its risks
and side effects, schedule your confidential consultation.