abortion & pregnancy termination FAQs |
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Please click on the type of abortion you wish to learn more about: These FAQs are designed to respond to questions on the medical abortion process offered at Marie Stopes International Australia. For full details of this process click here.
1. How early can I have a medical abortion? Medical abortion may be performed as soon as pregnancy is detected and this may be earlier than a surgical abortion may be performed. Your doctor will be able to advise on what is right for you.
2. How effective is medical abortion Medical abortion is an effective and safe method of terminating early stage pregnancies. It is an alternative to surgical termination of pregnancy.
3. How do I have to prepare for my appointment? You will not require an anaesthetic. For a medical abortion there is no surgery performed so therefore, you will not usually be required to fast before the procedure and you will be able to drive yourself home.
4. Do I have to have anaesthetic? No. Anaesthetic is not required during a medical abortion. However, in about 2% of cases (2 in 100), the termination is not fully completed with a medical abortion meaning that a surgical procedure with an anaesthetic becomes necessary.
5. What do I need to bring to my appointment? It is essential that you bring with you:
6. Do I have to see a counsellor before my appointment? Counselling is available to any woman who feels they need to discuss their situation or who may be unsure about their decision. If you would like to speak to an experienced counsellor prior to your consultation, please phone us on Freecall 1800 003 707 and we can give you the details of counselling agencies to contact. If you feel comfortable with your decision you may not feel you need counselling. It is entirely your choice.
7. What will happen during my consultation? Once you have completed the necessary administration requirements, you will have a consultation with a nurse or doctor. When you are sure of your decision, the nurse/doctor will provide you with full information regarding the process. They will discuss with you your medical history and will also discuss various contraceptive methods available for future use. A doctor will prescribe the medications required for your termination and you will be given full instructions on how to take them.
8. What does an ultrasound scan do? Before you are prescribed the medications for a medical abortion an ultrasound scan will be performed. This is done to assess how many weeks the pregnancy has progressed (the gestation period) and to ensure that it is situated in the womb. If the ultrasound shows you are 9 weeks gestation or above, you will not be able to have a medical abortion and you will be given full information on proceeding to a surgical termination if you choose to do so.
9. What is an Ectopic Pregnancy? An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that is situated somewhere other than in the womb, most commonly the fallopian tubes. An ectopic pregnancy cannot develop normally and may cause a rupture. If your doctor suspects an ectopic pregnancy, he/she will refer you for further tests.
10. What does it mean if I am Rhesus Negative and what is Anti-D? There are several blood groups including A, B, AB, O and some others which are rarer. Blood is also either rhesus positive or rhesus negative. The rhesus type you have is dependant on the blood group of your parents. When a woman who has rhesus negative blood carries a rhesus positive pregnancy in her uterus, the blood cells from her pregnancy can enter her blood stream. Her immune system will treat the blood from the foetus as foreign and will respond by making antibodies, which will destroy the blood cells of the foetus. By giving an injection of rhesus antibodies known as Anti-D, the woman’s immune system is prevented from making antibodies against future pregnancies. Women who are a rhesus negative group will receive an Anti-D injection, this is given straight after an abortion or after a full term pregnancy.
11. How will my abortion by performed? You will be prescribed medications to take which will cause an abortion. You will take the first medication at your appointment and the second medication 24-48 hours later at home. The process will be explained to you in full at your appointment at a Dr Marie centre along with any side-effects the medications may cause and any possible risks and signs of complications.
12. Who will perform my termination? A doctor is required to prescribe the medications used in medical termination.
You can expect cramping to occur which can range from mild to severe. The pain is usually more than a typical menstrual period. You may take pain relief medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol (as the manufacturer recommends) or as prescribed by the doctor.
14. How long do I have to stay at the centre? Your initial appointment including administration, consultation, ultrasound and prescription of the medications will take up to an hour. You will be required to return to the centre for another short appointment to confirm that the termination is complete, two weeks after your initial appointment. It is essential that you return for this appointment.
15. Why do I need a follow up appointment at a Dr Marie centre after a medical abortion? At the follow up appointment an ultrasound will be performed to confirm that the termination is complete. If the ultrasound shows a delayed effect from the medications (the pregnancy has stopped growing but the tissue has not passed) you will be booked for a surgical termination of pregnancy. The risk of this happening is about 2% or 2 in every 100 cases.
16. Is there anything I have to do after the termination? You will be required to return to the centre for another short appointment to confirm that the termination is complete, two weeks after your initial appointment. It is essential that you return for this appointment. For one week after taking the medication
17. How will I feel emotionally? For many women, making the decision to seek help regarding abortion is relatively straightforward. However, for others abortion is an issue that is fraught with complexities and the decision to undergo the procedure causes much anxiety. While most women feel relief following an abortion and are able to move forward, some may feel a sense of loss or sadness and can experience the following:
18. Will talking about it help? The majority of women feel that talking through their feelings with their partner, friends, family or doctor is usually all that is needed. However, some women may not have anyone they can easily talk to, or they may think that others will pass judgment, and therefore feel very isolated, right at the time support from others is needed. By acknowledging and accepting unexpected reactions and unresolved feelings towards the abortion, most women find they are able to work through these in a positive way. This is where post-abortion counselling can help.
19. What does post-abortion counselling involve? If you want to talk to someone about your experience and how you are feeling, we can provide post-abortion counselling. Referrals are also available to those wishing to speak with other counselling services outside of Dr Marie and our counsellors are trained in recognising circumstances where a referral to a specialist counsellor may be advised. Click here for more information or call us on Freecall 1800 003 707.
20. How much does post-abortion counselling cost? Dr Marie offers services to all women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and the cost of a telephone counselling session is free of charge. For those seeking a referral outside of Dr Marie, some agencies are government funded with no fee and some charge a minimal cost for post-abortion counselling. Click here for more information.
21. How long will I need to take off work? This is entirely up to you. If you have a physically demanding job you may want to take a few days off. A lot of women return to work on the day following an early termination.
22. What about future contraception? It is very important that you are aware you could conceive as early as 2 weeks after your abortion. We therefore strongly advise that you decide on a suitable contraceptive method as quickly as possible. You will be given advice on your options and how soon you can start the different contraceptive methods during your consultation at a Dr Marie centre. Your options include: The contraceptive pill, an IUD or IUS, or a contraceptive injection.
23. What about protestors in the centre? We are occasionally subject to demonstrations by anti-abortionists. They usually take the form of a few people gathered outside trying to dissuade our clients from entering the centre. Although these people have no right to interfere with your legal or moral right of choice, we cannot prevent them protesting unless they break the law. We do understand how traumatic this may be and stress that you should not enter into any conversation with these people. Note that they cannot prevent you from entering our centres. Try not to let them distress you and walk calmly past. There will be a member of our team to help you once you are inside the centre. If you are concerned and wish to discuss anything, please call us.
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