On August 23, a Franklin County Judge issued a preliminary injunction against the 24-hour waiting period. This means that the laws enforcing the 24-hour restriction are temporarily on hold, and abortion clinics can perform same-day abortion procedures.
What Does "Same Day" Mean?
A same-day abortion is when a surgical or medication abortion is received on the same day as the consultation appointment. Preterm refers to this service as “single-appointment abortion care” because patients may not be able to obtain an abortion the same day they call us.
If patients are unable to receive their abortion on the same day they call us, we will schedule them for an appointment on a different day that combines their consultation and abortion.
Is Preterm Doing Same-Day Procedures?
Preterm is slowly integrating single-appointment abortion care back into our clinic flow. The availability of same-day abortions depends on clinic capacity and scheduling, as well as patient needs.
Not every patient will be able to receive their abortion care in a single appointment, but we hope to expand this service in the coming months.
What's Staying the Same?
Patients still receive counseling. Counseling is still a mandatory and crucial part of abortion care.
We’ll work with patient schedules as best as we can. Patients can still book their consultation and abortion procedures on a separate day if they would prefer.
Patients still sign informed consent and have a chance to talk to their abortion provider before the procedure takes place.
Quality of Care. We are still offering the same compassionate, empathetic abortion care we are known for.
What Will Change?
Patients interested in single-appointment abortion care will still call our Appointment Center to make an appointment. Depending on eligibility and scheduling, you may or may not be able to receive an abortion on the same day as your consultation.
Previously, the 24-hour waiting period also required us to hand out medically unnecessary state-mandated materials meant to convince patients to keep their pregnancy. With the preliminary injunction, we no longer have to do that. Instead, patients will receive only medically necessary information.
Interested in Learning More?
Visit our page about same-day abortion procedures to learn more. Or give us a call at 216-991-4000
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