abortion information ...

Abortion is not just a simple procedure; it may have many side effects. Abortion has been associated with preterm birth, emotional and psychological impact, and spiritual consequences. Please contact our center so that you can make an informed decision.

This surgical abortion is done early in the pregnancy--up until 7 weeks after the woman's last menstrual period. A long, thin tube is inserted into the uterus. A large syringe is attached to the tube and the embryo is suctioned out.

In this procedure, the abortionist begins by dilating the mom's cervix until it is large enough to allow a cannula to be inserted into her uterus. The cannula is a hollow plastic tube that is connected to a vacuum-type pump by a flexible hose. The abortionist runs the tip of the cannula along the surface of the uterus causing the baby to be dislodged and sucked into the tube and then into a waste recepticle. The baby is sucked out either whole or in pieces. Any remaining parts are scraped out of the uterus with a surgical instrument called a curette. Following that, another pass is made through the mom's uterus with the suction machine to help ensure that none of the baby's body parts have been left behind.

Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is done in the second 12 weeks (second trimester) of pregnancy.

An ultrasound is done before a D&E to determine the size of the uterus and the age and size of the baby.

A cervical dilator is often inserted in the cervix 24 hours before the procedure to help slowly open (dilate) the cervix. While the actual D&E procedure might take up to 30 minutes to perform, it is usually done in a hospital although it can also be done at a clinic.

You will be given some dosages of antibiotic medicine to prevent infection, as well as pain medicine injection and a sedative. If the procedure is done in an operating room, you could receive a spinal anesthesia injection into the fluid around the spinal cord, which numbs the area between your legs, or general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious.

An abortion in the second 12 weeks will need the cervix to be dilated more than required for a vacuum aspiration.

A hollow tube (cannula) is inserted into the uterus, and the cannula is attached by tubing to a bottle and a pump that provides a vacuum to remove the fetus in the uterus. Some cramping is felt during the rest of the procedure.

Forceps are then inserted into the uterus to grasp larger pieces of the fetus. The uterine lining is then scraped with a curette, and suctioned again.

You will then be given medicine to reduce the amount of bleeding resulting from the procedure. Typical recovery from this procedure involves irregular bleeding or spotting for two weeks, cramps, which may last from several hours to a few days, and emotional swings.

From 20 weeks after LMP to full-term

This procedure takes three days. During the first two days, the cervix is stretched open using thin rods made of seaweed, and medication is given for pain. On the third day, the abortion doctor uses ultrasound to locate the legs of the fetus. Grasping a leg with forceps, the doctor delivers the fetus up to the head. Next, scissors are inserted into the base of the skull to create an opening. A suction catheter is placed into the opening to remove the brain. The skull collapses and the fetus is removed.

RU486, or the "Abortion Pill," is actually a combination of two drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol), which causes an early abortion. This method requires three visits and is completed within two weeks, however, some can take up to three or four weeks. It should not be used if it has been more than seven weeks since your last period. Side effects include heavy bleeding, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and cramping. How it works is this: the first pill, mifepristone, is taken orally. This pill blocks the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for you to maintain the pregnancy. The second pill, misoprostol, is inserted into the vagina a day or two later, and this pill causes your uterus to contract and expel the baby.

Abortion is not like having a tooth pulled, or a mole removed. It is more complicated than that. For many women, having an abortion is a life changing event with significant physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences. Many women who have had abortions now say they wish they had been told all of the facts about abortion and its risks. Studies are conducted every year to find out more about the risks women face with breast cancer, pre-term birth, psychological problems, and other effects that may be caused by any method of abortion.

Our trained staff and volunteers are available to answer your questions about abortion and provide you with all the facts you will need to make an informed decision.