Abortion is not something to do without plenty of research; you need to understand exactly what will happen and how it might affect you – physically and mentally – so that you can find the support you need. That’s why it’s worth looking more closely into the different types of abortion so you know more and can prepare better. With that in mind, read on for a helpful guide on each type of abortion.
Medical Abortion:
Medical abortion is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy in the early stages – usually before ten weeks. A medical abortion involves taking a pill. There are a number of ways this pill can be prescribed, but usually, you will need to speak to a professional doctor who can offer not just the medical abortion itself, but plenty of advice, including aftercare.
In some cases, a scan or a medical check-up is required before an abortion pill can be prescribed. This is to check on the age of the pregnancy since a pill is not suitable after a certain date, at which point a surgical abortion will be a better choice.
The abortion pill is a misnomer as there are actually two pills you will need to take – mifepristone and misoprostol. The first is the pill that will end the pregnancy and block progesterone from being made. This ensures the lining of the uterus breaks down and the pregnancy will end. The second medication – misoprostol – causes the womb to contract and this expels the pregnancy from the body.
Surgical Abortion:
There are two types of surgical abortion, and the first that we’ll discuss is vacuum aspiration. During this procedure, suction is used to remove the pregnancy.
The procedure takes up to ten minutes, but you will need to stay in the recovery area for up to an hour afterward, as the clinic staff will want to ensure you are well enough to go home; this is especially important if you had any sedation before the procedure.
This is why you should choose a clinic like gcaus.com.au where the staff is caring and understand how to look after patients; it can make a big difference to your recovery.
The second type of surgical abortion is dilation and evacuation, which can be used between 14 and 28 weeks gestation. In this situation, instruments are used to remove the pregnancy, and you will need a pre-surgical cervical preparation to dilate the cervix to allow for this to happen.
This will need to be done either the day before the surgery or on the day of the surgery assuming there is time before the procedure needs to be carried out. This treatment takes up to twenty minutes, and you will need to spend time in the recovery area of the clinic to ensure you are well enough to go home. Depending on the circumstances, this may be done under a general anesthetic.
After Care:
No matter what procedure you have, it’s important to take good care of yourself afterward. You may experience some discomfort and bleeding, your breasts may be sore, and you might be nauseous. This is all normal, but if the symptoms have not stopped after three days, you should seek medical attention.
Otherwise, you must take the time you need to recover, so ensure you book time off work and are able to rest for at least three days.
