At this difficult time, we care about you and your abortion decision. You may not need an abortion -- your period may be late or your pregnancy may end naturally. About 25% of all pregnancies end naturally in miscarriage. A good way to confirm pregnancy is through an ultrasound exam. Come in for a free medical consultation and ultrasound, so you can make an informed decision. You may not need to experience the pain and cost of an abortion.
If you have just found out for sure that you are pregnant, and this isn't part of your plans right now, you may be feeling alone and scared. You may be having a hard time admitting that you really are pregnant. Eventually you will need to decide what to do.
At this time, despite the stress, you need to think through all your alternatives. This is one of the biggest decisions you may make in your life. Before you choose, carefully weigh your options based on information rather than just emotion. Use your head, use your heart, and use your soul. A First Choice counselor is waiting to help you think through all your thoughts and fears.
For your information, listed below are some facts regarding an abortion procedure and the risks involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact First Choice at 1-888-3-CHOOSE.
What is Abortion?
Abortion refers to the artificial (meaning not natural as in miscarriage) ending of a pregnancy, for whatever reason. Most people call the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy a miscarriage rather than an abortion. When abortions were legalized in the United States in January 1973, even doctors began using the term abortion for the pregnancy that a woman terminated and the term miscarriage for a pregnancy that a woman lost spontaneously.
Abortions may be performed either surgically or medically.
Surgical Abortion
- implies the use of surgical instruments to remove the fetus from the uterus or the placing of instillations in the uterus to stop the fetus from developing.
Medical Abortion
- implies the administration of drugs to the pregnant woman to stop the fetus from developing and expel it from the uterus.
The method of abortion is determined by how far along a woman is in her pregnancy. Because it can be difficult to know exactly what day a woman conceived, medical professionals will usually refer to pregnancy in terms of the time since the last menstrual period (LMP).
Before an abortion procedure can take place, gestational age must be determined. First Choice can provide an ultrasound to determine gestational age free of charge. Call 1-888-3-CHOOSE for an appointment.
Pregnancy Termination Patient Safety and Consent
You have a right to know all of your options and other information that might affect your decision, but if you don't ask for this information you may forfeit that right. Here are some important issues you will want to discuss before you sign a medical consent form.
- Will it hurt?
- What options and supportive services are available to me if I choose not to abort?
- What is the fetus like right now? What can it do? What can it feel?
- How much bleeding will I have?
- If I bleed too much, who should I call or where should I go?
- Will you treat me for complications?
- If I need to be hospitalized, at which hospital do you have privileges?
- What are the chances that I will experience any of the following problems?
| Physical | Psychological |
|---|---|
| Damage to the Cervix [1] | Clinical Depression [8] |
| Hemorrhage (heavy bleeding) [2] | Post-traumatic Stress Disorder [9] |
| Infection [3] | Suicide [10] |
| Perforation of the Uterus [4] | Drug and Alcohol Abuse [11] |
| Sepsis (Total Body Infection) [5] | |
| Scarring of the Uterine Lining [6] | |
| Damage to Internal Organs [7] |
If you decide to have an abortion, you will want to have a permanent record of what the care provider told you. Take this check list home with you and keep it in a safe place. Some of the effects associated with abortion may not show up for several years. If anything does happen to you during or after the abortion you will have evidence of what you were told
FIRST CHOICE DOES NOT PERFORM OR REFER FOR ABORTIONS.
This information is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.
[1] Rock J, Thompson J. TeLinde’s Operative Gynecology.
[2] Katz V, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. Rock J, Thompson J. TeLinde’s Operative Gynecology. Stenchever M, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. Mifeprex Package Insert (U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved label), July 2005.
[3] Katz V, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. Stenchever M, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology.
[4] Rock J, Thompson J. TeLinde’s Operative Gynecology.
[5] Medical Management of Abortion. ACOG.
[6] Dilation and Curettage. ACOG Patient Education Bulletin. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists December 2005.
[7] Rock J, Thompson J. TeLinde’s Operative Gynecology.
[8] Cougle JR, et al. Deprssion associated with abortion and childbirth: a long-term analysis of the NLSY cohort. Medical Science Monitor 2003; 9(4):105-112. Fergusson DM, et al. Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 2006; 47(1):16-24.
[9] Thorp JM, ShadigianE, et al. Long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortion. Rue V, et al. Induced abortion and traumatic stress: a preliminary comparison of American and Russian women. Medical Science Monitor 2004; 10:5-16.
[10] Reardon DC, Shuping MW, et al. Deaths associated with abortion compared to childbirth: a review of old and new data and the medical and legal implications. Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy 2004; 20(2):279-327.
[11] Coleman P, Reardon D, Rue V. Prior history of induced abortion in relation to substance use during subsequent pregnancies carried to term. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002;187:1673-78.
