| Abortions
up to 13 Weeks
WomanCare is a “first trimester”
abortion clinic, which means that we can perform
abortions as late as 13 weeks of pregnancy.
When a potential client calls WomanCare on the
telephone, the clinic nurse or attendant will
attempt to estimate the patient’s length
of pregnancy based on several factors, such
as the first day of her last menstrual period,
when her pregnancy symptoms began, or when she
thinks she had sex. It is important to understand
that pregnancy is measured not from conception
or the time of a sexual encounter, but from
the first day of the previous menstrual period,
which is when the egg that will be released
that month begins to develop.
At the time of the appointment, the doctor will
perform a pelvic examination which determines
the size and position of the uterus. He will
then perform an ultrasound examination, which
will accurately determine how far the pregnancy
has progressed. As long as the pregnancy is
13 weeks or less, the procedure can be performed.
WomanCare’s physician will not perform
an abortion that is less than about five weeks.
These procedures are difficult, there is a greater
chance of damaging the uterus and cervix, and
it is impossible to tell after the procedure
whether the pregnancy has been removed because
it is too small to identify.
Medical Abortion
A medical abortion is quite different from a
surgical procedure. At WomanCare, medical abortions
can be performed from five to seven weeks. Many
people believe that a “medical abortion”
simply involves taking some pills which make
the pregnancy “go away.” It is important
to understand that a “medical abortion”
is the same thing as a miscarriage; the only
difference is that in this case, the miscarriage
is caused by medication.
On the day of her appointment, the patient undergoes
an examination and ultrasound by the physician.
She is given a pill to take (Mifeprex, also
known as RU-486), and then she goes home. Over
the next 48 hours this pill causes the pregnancy
to detach from the uterine wall; it also softens
the cervix. A few patients will miscarry from
the effects of this one pill, but most require
more medication. If the patient does not miscarry
within the first 48 hours, she then takes an
additional four tablets (Cytotec); 90% of patients
will miscarry within the next 24 hours.
Patients who miscarry during a medical abortion
often have substantial cramping and bleeding
which may last for several hours. This is not
an easy process, and most patients don’t
realize this when they inquire about a medical
abortion. A patient who is six weeks pregnant
can have a surgical abortion with minimal discomfort
in about 90 seconds. A medical abortion at six
weeks often results in several hours of pain
and bleeding, and occasionally the process lasts
several days. For these reasons, while we at
WomanCare offer medical abortion, we recommend
surgical abortion because it is so much easier,
quicker, and causes less distress.
If you wish to discuss this issue in more detail,
the staff at WomanCare would be happy to talk
with you; please don’t hesitate to call.
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