If you’re pregnant and thinking about abortion, you may have lots of questions. We’re here to help. LaVie specializes in supporting women and men who are making a difficult pregnancy decision and are here to answer your questions.
You owe it to yourself to get answers to your questions, weigh the alternatives, and consider how the procedure may impact your future. It’s important to have accurate information about abortion procedures and potential risks.
At LaVie, our medical staff listens to your unique story and can help you understand essential medical information about your pregnancy. We offer no-cost laboratory-certified pregnancy tests and will have your results within a few minutes. If your test is positive, we can use ultrasound technology to determine how far along you are and if the pregnancy is viable.
There are different kinds of abortion procedures. Our staff is here to help you understand each procedure and answer any questions you may have. While LaVie does not perform or refer for abortions, we offer essential medical services to empower you to take control of your health.
You deserve to get answers while you carefully consider your options.
Surgical abortions are done by opening the cervix and passing instruments into the uterus to remove the developing fetus and placenta. The exact procedure is determined by the gestational age or size of the baby.
Aspiration
Aspiration is a surgical abortion procedure performed during the first 6 to 14 weeks gestation. It is also referred to as suction aspiration, suction curettage, or vacuum aspiration. Medication for pain and possibly sedation will be provided. While lying on an exam table with feet in stirrups, a speculum is inserted in to open the vagina.
A local anesthetic is administered to the cervix to numb it. Then a surgical instrument with long handles and a clamp at the end is used to hold the cervix in place for the cervix to be dilated by another instrument. When the cervix is wide enough, a cannula, which is a long plastic tube connected to a suction device, is inserted into the uterus to suction out the fetus and placenta.
This procedure usually lasts 10-15 minutes, but recovery can require staying at the clinic for a few hours. Antibiotics are also given to help help prevent infection.
What are the side effects and risks of suction aspiration?
Common side effects of the procedure include cramping, nausea, sweating and feeling faint. Less frequent side effects include possible heavy or prolonged bleeding, blood clots, damage to the cervix and perforation of the uterus.
Infection due to remaining tissue or infection caused by an STD or bacteria being introduced to the uterus can cause fever, pain, abdominal tenderness and possibly scar tissue. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if your side effects persist or worsen.
Dilation and Evacuation
The dilation and extraction procedure is usually used beginning at about 14 weeks gestation. After 14 weeks gestation the fetal skull begins to calcify making it more difficult, or impossible, to remove through the cervix intact. This procedure is also commonly known as Partial Birth Abortion.
Up to two days before the procedure, something will be inserted vaginally by your doctor to dilate the cervix. On the day of the procedure the fetus is rotated and forceps are used to grasp and pull the legs, shoulders and arms through the birth canal. The skull is collapsed and the fetus is then completely removed.
The availability of any procedure used in the third trimester is based on the laws of that state.
What are the side effects and risks related to dilation and extraction?
The side effects are the same as dilation and evacuation. However, there is an increased chance of emotional problems from the reality of more advanced fetal development.
Informed consent and counseling are essential when considering your plan for pregnancy. Women should be counseled about the full range of pregnancy options: parenting, abortion, and adoption. Counseling should be a patient-centered shared decision-making process to ensure that a patient’s decision is informed, voluntary, and free of coercion.1 Patients should be made aware of risks and benefits of the procedure and alternatives, and this should be documented in the medical record and on the consent form.
Before you make a final decision regarding your pregnancy, call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss all your options with our trained and compassionate nurses.
Perucci A. Decision Assessment and Counseling in Abortion Care: Philosophy and Practice, 1st ed, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Lanham, Maryland 2012.
Ultrasounds confirm the viability, location, and gestation of your pregnancy.
Pregnancy tests confirmed by a healthcare professional are the best way to verify a pregnancy.
If you are sexually active, you should be tested for STDs regularly.
Take control of your health and safety by learning evidence-based medical information about your pregnancy.
Our team is available to help determine what resources are best for your unique situation.
Increase your knowledge and support throughout your pregnancy.
LaVie provides information on birth control but does not prescribe or perform birth control measures, including performing vasectomies or abortions.
LaVie does not provide mammograms.
LaVie neither performs nor refers for abortions, and does not profit from our patients’ decisions regarding their pregnancy.
LaVie is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3). Free or reduced services are available to our patients due to receiving grants and individual and business donations.