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1. How
much will I bleed? 
2. Will
the procedure hurt?
3. Is
the procedure risky?
4. What
is the difference between a surgical and a nonsurgical (medical)
abortion?
5. Will I be able to have
children in the future?
6. Can
I have all of my services in 1 day?
7. Can
I bring someone with me?
8. When
will I get my next period?
9.
What do I need to bring with me to my appointment?
10. My doctor did an ultrasound
and blood work. Can I bring the results with me and save
some money?
11. Do my parents have to
know?
12. What's the difference
between the "abortion pill" and the "morning
after pill?"
1.
How much will I bleed?
After
a surgical abortion some women don't bleed at all. Some
spot or bleed lightly. Others bleed more heavily, similar
to having a period. Bleeding can last from just a few hours
to as long as 3 to 4 weeks. It can remain constant or start
and stop. All of these variations are usually normal.
If you're
having a medication abortion, you can expect heavy bleeding
(similar to or heavier than a normal heavy period) for 1
to 12 hours followed by light bleeding for up to 3 to 4
weeks.
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2.
Will the procedure hurt?
There's
no simple answer because everyone experiences it differently.
For surgical abortions, we offer 4 pain relief options.
Every patient has local anesthesia to numb the cervical
area. If you choose this option only, as about half our
patients do, you can expect to feel some uncomfortable pressure
and menstrual-type cramping during the procedure. As an
option, you can have oral sedation to help relieve anxiety
and discomfort. If you choose to have conscious sedation,
we'll administer medication through an IV that will help
you relax and lessen any discomfort. If you choose anesthesia,
also administered through an IV, you'll be asleep during
the procedure and won't feel anything. Please be aware that
if you choose conscious sedation or anesthesia you'll have
eating and drinking restrictions. If you choose oral sedation,
conscious sedation or anesthesia, you'll need someone to
drive you home.
If you
choose to have a medication abortion, you should be prepared
for strong menstrual-type cramping for 4 to 12 hours. We'll
give you a prescription for a pain reliever.
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3.
Is the procedure risky?
Every
medical procedure has certain risks and possible complications.
However, complications are rare (our complication rate is
only one quarter of one percent), and most of them are easily
remedied. In fact, abortion is far safer than childbirth
and safer even than a tooth extraction. You'll have an opportunity
to discuss the procedure and its risks prior to your abortion.
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4.
What is the difference between a surgical and a medication
abortion?
A surgical
abortion involves a procedure in which the doctor numbs
the cervix and uses instruments to remove the pregnancy
from the uterus. The procedure usually takes from 5 to 15
minutes. In a medication abortion you terminate your pregnancy
by taking a combination of two drugs. The physician gives
you the first drug at your appointment. You take a second
drug at home. It makes your uterus cramp and causes bleeding
to expel the pregnancy. We perform medication abortions
from 4 to 9 weeks.
For
more information on these options, see surgical
abortion and medication abortion.
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5.
Will I be able to have children in the future?
Generally,
an abortion will not affect your ability to have children.
This is true even if you've had more than one abortion.
A complication of the surgery could affect this, but Preterm's
complication rate is less than one percent.
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6.
Can
I have all of my services in 1 day?
No. Because of an Ohio law that went into effect in September 2005, an abortion requires at least two visits, no less than 24 hours apart. If your pregnancy is 17 weeks or more, you'll need to make three visits.
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7.
Can I bring someone with me?
You're
welcome to bring a support person with you. If you're having
oral sedation, conscious sedation or anesthesia, you must
have a responsible adult driver with you. We cannot accommodate
children so please make other arrangements for their care
while you're here.
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8.
When will I get my next period?
Expect
to get your regular period 4 to 6 weeks after the abortion.
If you're taking birth control pills, they may affect when
you get your period. Please be aware that if you're not
using birth control, you could become pregnant even before
your next period begins.
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9.
What do I need to bring with me to my appointment?
| Make
sure you bring the following: |
 |
Valid
photo I.D. that states your date of birth. |
|
Payment
in the form of a money order, credit card (Visa, MasterCard,
or Discover), or debit card. The credit card holder
must be present. |
|
Insurance
card if you're using insurance. |
If you're
under 18 years old, there are some additional requirements.
Please call us for further information.
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10.
My doctor did an ultrasound and blood work. Can I bring
the results with me and save some money?
No.
To make sure we provide the best medical care possible,
we do our own in-house lab work, medical screening, and
ultrasound.
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11.
Do my parents have to know?
Under
current Ohio law, there are two options if you want to have
an abortion and you're under age 18: 1) you can get the
signature of a parent or legal guardian, or 2) you can obtain
a judicial bypass from juvenile court. Our appointment center
staff can explain the judicial bypass process.
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12.
What's the difference between the "abortion pill"
and the "morning after pill?"
The
abortion pill, also called RU-486, mifepristone, and Mifeprex™,
is a drug used in medication abortions to end an early pregnancy.
The morning after pill, more commonly called emergency contraception
or EC, is a drug used to prevent unintended pregnancy up
to 120 hours after a woman has had unprotected sex. Both
the abortion pill and morning after pill are available at
Preterm.
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