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Early Surgical Abortion

Surgical Procedure:

Elective surgical abortion can be performed between the sixth and twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. Please see our pregnancy calculator to estimate the gestation of your pregnancy. If your pregnancy has progressed past twenty-four weeks and you are in need of a therapeutic (medically necessary) abortion, please visit Grace Medical Care at www.GraceMedicalCare.com.

Early Surgical abortion between 6-14 weeks:

Surgical abortions done in the first trimester are safe, quick, and highly effective. A dilation and aspiration curettage procedure will be performed early in pregnancy to empty your uterus.The procedure takes only a couple of minutes to complete and afterwards you will relax in our monitored recovery area for approximately one hour. You will return to the office for your follow-up appointment two weeks after your abortion to make sure that the procedure was successful and that you are healing well.

Before your procedure, the doctor will perform a pelvic exam to evaluate the size and orientation of your uterus. The physician will then insert a speculum into the vagina to prepare for the procedure. This is used to allow the physician to see inside the vagina to the cervix. The cervix will then be numbed with a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. The procedure begins with the gradual and gentle opening of the cervix by a series of narrow, tapered rods called dilators. The doctor will then insert into the uterus a small plastic tube that is attached to a suction machine, similar to the one dentists use to clear the mouth of saliva. The tube is moved within the uterus for a minute or two to remove all of the pregnancy tissue by gentle suction. During the aspiration, you may experience cramping that is similar to heavy menstrual cramps. The surgical abortion procedure generally takes about five to ten minutes to complete.

Patients may opt to have twilight sleep sedation in addition to local anesthesia. This medication will relax you, reduce the amount of discomfort you may feel and can inhibit memory formation. You will be in a "twilight" state between asleep and alert. This medication is given by injection before the final procedure is begun. Twilight sleep is different from general anesthesia in that you will still be aware and able to respond and react. This type of sedation is safer than general anesthesia and carries less risk of serious adverse reactions.