You'll also be told who to contact if you need help or have any complications. During your appointment and in the medication pack, you will receive clear instructions on how and when to take your medication. It'll include information about when you should get in touch for help and who to contact — for example if you experience any complications or think you may still be pregnant.
You can either have your medication pack delivered to you, by health board staff or a courier, or you may need to come and collect your pack from a clinic. Vacuum aspiration, or suction termination, is a procedure using gentle suction to remove the pregnancy tissue from the uterus womb. The procedure usually takes minutes and can be carried out under a local anaesthetic, where the area is numbed, or sedation, where you are awake but drowsy.
To soften the cervix and make it easier to open, a tablet may be placed in the vagina a few hours before the abortion. The tablet can also be taken orally. A small, plastic suction tube connected to a pump is then inserted into the womb and used to remove the pregnancy tissue.
After the procedure, you'll usually be able to go home the same day, although you'll bleed for around 7 to 10 days. The abortion will take longer, between six and twelve hours, depending on how many weeks pregnant you are. This type of abortion is similar to having a later miscarriage.
You'll be awake and medication will be given to manage any pain. You can usually return home the same day. Sometimes the pregnancy can take longer to pass and an overnight stay in hospital is required. Following the procedure you will bleed, usually for 7 to 14 days.
Depending on how many weeks pregnant you were, you may notice some other symptoms such as a small amount of fluid leaking from your breasts. If you're over 18 to 20 weeks pregnant you may need to travel to a specialist clinic in England for one of the later abortion treatments, funded by your local NHS service.
The cervix is gently stretched and dilated. Forceps and a suction tube are used to remove the fetus and surrounding pregnancy tissue. If you are more than 22 weeks pregnant, the abortion usually requires a two-stage procedure, carried out under general anaesthetic.
In stage one, an injection stops the heartbeat of the fetus and medication is used to soften the cervix. Stage two is carried out the following day and involves removal of when the fetus and surrounding tissue is removed. Following the procedure you will bleed, usually for up to 14 days.
You may notice some other symptoms, such as a small amount of fluid leaking from your breasts. Abortion poses very few risks to a woman's health, particularly when carried out during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion doesn't usually affect a woman's chances of becoming pregnant and having normal pregnancies in future. The risk of complications during an abortion procedure is low. There are more likely to be issues if an abortion is carried out later in a pregnancy.
The low risks associated with abortions are:. After an abortion, the main risk is infection in the uterus womb. This can be caused when all of the pregnancy tissue has not been passed or removed. An infection after abortion may cause you to bleed heavily or have a discharge from your vagina and lower abdominal pain. Antibiotics are used to treat the infection. If an infection isn't treated, it could result in a more severe infection of your reproductive organs.
This could include pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility or ectopic pregnancy. The risk of an infection can be reduced by taking antibiotics at the time of a surgical abortion. If you think you may have an infection following abortion, you should immediately contact your abortion service for advice. After an abortion, you may be advised not to have vaginal sex, and to avoid using tampons while the bleeding continues. It is advisable that you have a reliable type of contraception before starting to have sexual intercourse again, as your fertility will return to normal very quickly.
The abortion service you attend will give you information on different methods and help you find the right one for you. They can sometimes also provide most types of contraception on the day of the abortion if you have an in-person appointment or help you get an appointment.
You can also talk to your GP or local sexual and reproductive health service about contraception. Research suggests that having some mixed feelings is normal, and that abortion does not lead to long-term emotional or psychological problems. If you feel you need someone to talk to, seek advice from your abortion service, your GP or local sexual and reproductive health service.
Residents of Northern Ireland can access abortion services in Scotland for free, on the same terms as people who live in Scotland. If you are in Northern Ireland and want to travel to Scotland for an abortion, the first step is to contact the NHS Board for the area you're planning to have your abortion.
The procedure for arranging an appointment varies depending on the NHS Board. If you come to Scotland from Northern Ireland for an abortion, the procedure can be kept confidential. You'll be given a letter outlining the treatment you received so you can give it to a doctor if you need emergency care.
If you like, the clinic can also send a letter to your GP. Find out more about confidentiality in NHS Scotland. After taking the abortion medication misoprostol , you should be prepared for the possibility of the following symptoms:. After the procedure, the NHS Board in charge of your care will provide aftercare information, along with a clinic number in Scotland.
Home Tests and treatments Surgical procedures Abortion. Abortion See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. Overview 2. NHS abortions 3. Later surgical abortion 4. Risks in an abortion 5. After an abortion 6. Northern Ireland residents coming to Scotland for an abortion 7. Symptoms after taking medication. The first stage involves taking a tablet that blocks the hormone necessary for the pregnancy to continue.
This is followed 36 to 48 hours later by a second medication that causes the contents of the uterus to be expelled. A late-term or second trimester abortion is when a pregnancy is terminated after 14 weeks. The process is similar to a surgical abortion, but instead of suction, instruments are used to remove the fetus. You may need to travel interstate to have a late-term abortion since states and territories have different laws on how late an abortion can be performed.
Abortion law in Australia varies across states and territories. Abortion is legal in all states and territories under certain circumstances and when it is done by a registered medical professional. In most states and territories, it is illegal to protest within m of a clinic or service that provides abortions.
Abortions can be performed at up to 22 weeks' gestation. After that, 2 doctors must approve the procedure. One doctor can approve and perform an abortion at up to 14 weeks. Between 14 and 23 weeks, a second doctor also needs to approve. After 23 weeks, an abortion can only be performed if the life of the woman is at risk. Abortions can be performed at up to 22 weeks.
After 22 weeks, 2 doctors must approve the procedure. An abortion can only be performed if 2 doctors agree the health or mental wellbeing of the woman is at risk or the fetus has a serious abnormality. Abortions can be performed at up to 16 weeks. After 16 weeks, 2 doctors must approve the procedure. Abortions can be performed at up to 24 weeks. After 24 weeks, 2 doctors must approve the procedure. The cost of an abortion will depend on whether it is a medical or surgical abortion, how far along you are and whether you are using a public service or a private clinic.
Not all GPs can prescribe a medical abortion and not all chemists stock the medication required. Depending on where you live, you may need to go to an approved clinic or a hospital. Hospitals and GPs may offer bulk billing or they may be partially covered by Medicare. For a private clinic, the consultation can cost several hundred dollars. Surgical abortions cost around the same as a medical abortion, but this cost can vary depending on how many weeks along you are and whether you are a public or private patient.
Apart from the cost of the actual procedure, many women may need to travel to get an abortion. Termination services are not easily accessible in rural and remote areas and depending on the law in your state or territory, you may need to travel interstate to have an abortion. Some clinics can offer medical abortion consultations via telehealth video call. Speak to your GP or clinic to find out if this option is available to you. Yes, you can. Counselling is an important part of the decision making process when you are considering whether to have an abortion.
You should understand all of your options and make the decision that is right for you. Your doctor or clinic will talk to you about your choices and offer support services so you can talk to someone. You should talk to your doctor or clinic about the best type of contraception to use. You can contact the Family Planning clinic in your state or territory.
You can also use the Find a Health service or call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on to get help finding a service near you. Unlike an abortion which ends a pregnancy, emergency contraception prevents a pregnancy from happening. There are 2 types of medication available to prevent pregnancy in Australia. The levonorgestrel pill can be taken up to 72 hours 3 days after unprotected sex.
Ulipristal acetate UPA can be taken up to hours 5 days after unprotected sex. Both are available over the counter from a pharmacist without a prescription. Australia has safe and supportive abortion and family planning clinics that can provide reliable advice. Abortion services are still open. You can self-refer by contacting an abortion provider directly. Abortions can only be carried out under the care of an NHS hospital or a licensed clinic, and are usually available free of charge on the NHS.
Waiting times can vary, but you should not have to wait more than 2 weeks from when you or a doctor first contact an abortion provider to having an abortion.
You can also pay for an abortion privately not on the NHS if you prefer. Costs for private abortions vary depending on the stage of pregnancy and the method used to carry out the procedure.
Most abortions in England, Wales and Scotland are carried out before 24 weeks of pregnancy. They can be carried out after 24 weeks in very limited circumstances — for example, if the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability. Most abortion services will ask to perform an ultrasound scan to work out how many weeks pregnant you are.
The length of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period. Abortions are safer the earlier they're carried out. Getting advice early on will give you more time to make a decision if you're unsure. Some women may be certain they want to have an abortion, while others may find it more difficult to make a decision. All women requesting an abortion can discuss their options with, and receive support from, a trained pregnancy counsellor if they wish.
0コメント