At our clinic, the word “choice” is about deciding to have an abortion, as well as the abortion method. In addition to surgical abortion, medical abortion has been available since February 2018.
You may choose this method if you meet the following criteria:
- Your pregnancy is under 9 weeks, starting from the first day of your last period;
- You live less than an hour away from a clinic or hospital;
- You don’t have anemia;
- A caregiver (close friend or family member) is available to be present during the critical phase.
The decision to proceed using the medical method will be taken during your first appointment.
Here is an overview of the steps to follow:
- Once the pregnancy has been confirmed by the ultrasound and your hemoglobin level has been checked (Note: If you have anemia, a medical abortion is not a good choice as it causes more bleeding than a surgical abortion), if you have no other contraindications, we will give you the abortive medication.
- The mifepristone medication will be taken orally, at the clinic, in the presence of one of our staff members, noting the time when it is taken. In the vast majority of cases, this medication will not cause any side effects or bleeding, except in rare instances. This medication only stops the pregnancy process and at this stage, you cannot reverse your decision. It will soften and open your cervix to prepare your uterus for the next stage, expulsion.
- This second step will take place using a medication called misoprostol that must be taken 24 to 48 hours after taking the mifepristone (not before 24 hours and no later than 48), even if you have experienced some bleeding after taking the first medication. Four (4) tablets must be allowed to melt in the mouth, between the cheek and the gum line 30 minutes before swallowing them. This is when the presence of a supportive person is important. Misoprostol side effects are severe menstrual cramps (contractions) and sometimes, heavy bleeding. It is exactly like having a miscarriage, consequently, you will need to accept these painful side effects when choosing this method. The majority of women expel the pregnancy within 4 hours but it might take several hours, sometimes several days and very rarely several weeks. There is a 5% chance of needing a surgical abortion. Experience confirms that if you are patient, most of the time, your uterus will eventually expel all of the tissue.
A follow-up phone call, 2 to 3 weeks later is essential to confirm that your abortion is complete. As you might notice, this is a slightly more complex method than the surgical abortion, but with a 95% success rate, this means you are avoiding surgery. However, you need to be ready and available to go through all of these steps.
For more information, please visit the Abortion section of our website or call us at 514-843-7904.