DEFINITELY. No woman under any circumstances should be forced to have an abortion. This is an elective procedure. It is your CHOICE. You can change your mind at any time during your appointment up until your procedure is begun and you will be refunded for all services not yet rendered. If you feel forced or pressured by someone else to end your pregnancy, please let one of the staff know and we will assist you however we can.
After your surgical procedure, you will be escorted to our recovery area where you will rest and be monitored for about an hour. There, you will be given your follow-up instructions and antibiotics.
You must return for a check up two weeks after your surgical procedure to ensure that your procedure was completely successful and that you are healing well. At this follow-up appointment, you will receive an exam and will have the opportunity to discuss and receive contraception, if you wish.
If you chose the non-surgical procedure, you may go home immediately following your procedure. The first medication does not cause any pain or adverse symptoms, so you will not require a recovery period in the office.
We ask that you schedule your follow-up appointment for a non-surgical abortion before you leave the office. You should schedule your appointment for two weeks after you expect to insert the Misoprostol. It is mandatory that you return for your follow-up so that we can ensure that your procedure was successful and that you are healing well. At this follow-up appointment, you will receive an ultrasound and exam and will have the opportunity to receive contraception, if you wish. How heavily will I bleed?
After the surgical procedure, some women will not bleed at all while others may have medium to heavy bleeding. This bleeding normally slows down after a week or two. Spotting may occur for a couple weeks after the procedure. Spotting may last until your normal menstrual cycle resumes, which normally takes four to six weeks.
The non-surgical procedure will also cause bleeding, which is the desired effect, as you are miscarrying. Your bleeding may saturate up to four or five pads per hour. You should monitor your bleeding through this process and record it on your symptom log. Bleeding will normally slow down a few days after the Misoprostol insertion and once the pregnancy tissue has been passed. The tissue is normally passed within 24-48 hours after insertion of the pills, but may occur up to one week later. You should expect your bleeding to last for one to two weeks and eventually turn to spotting, which may last for four to eight weeks until your next normal menstruation. What are my follow-up instructions?
Regardless of the type of abortion you have had there are some precautions which you must take to avoid complications. You should not insert any foreign objects into your vagina until you have been cleared at your follow up examination. You are strongly advised not to have sexual intercourse or use tampons. You should also avoid tub baths, douching or swimming during this time. The reason for this is that your cervix, the entrance to your uterus, has been opened by the abortion. Until your cervix closes completely, any bacteria that enter your vagina can easily travel to your uterus and cause a serious infection. Intercourse could also delay the closing of the cervix, leaving you vulnerable to infection for a longer period of time.
You are also advised to avoid strenuous exercise and any heavy lifting (25 lbs or over) until your follow-up exam. If you require a note for school or work, let the staff know at the time of your appointment and they will have the doctor write one for you. The note will not say that you had an abortion- merely that you have undergone medical treatment and your physician requests that you be excused from gym class or put on light duty at work.
Complete instructions, precautions, and symptoms to watch for will be detailed on the literature given to you at your appointment to take home with you. If you have any questions or concerns about your recovery, you can call us 24 hours a day at 1-888-ABORTION.
Yes. Numerous large multi-center studies have demonstrated that there appears to be no effect, whatsoever, on future fertility related to an abortion that has had no complications. This is true regardless of the number of abortions a woman may have. Some women have reported having had twenty or more abortions in a lifetime, with no effect on fertility. This appears to be the case for all women, provided that no complication occurs during any of the abortions. If complications do occur, then it is possible that a woman's fertility may be affected. One of the rare, but known and accepted complications is hysterectomy, which results in sterility. This complication occurs in less than 1 in 10,000 abortions. However, more than 99% of all first trimester abortions in the U.S are without any complications whatsoever. We are proud that our complication rates are well below the national average.
Emotional reactions after an abortion can range from relief and new hope to regret or grief. Many women feel a mix of emotions. These feelings are all associated with life choices, in general, and are completely normal. Give yourself permission to feel whatever you are feeling. The change in hormones after a pregnancy ends may also cause some emotional changes, and these tend to be similar whether the pregnancy ends after abortion, miscarriage or delivery. The overwhelming majority of women ultimately have primarily positive feelings and are satisfied with their decision after having an abortion.
The most important indicator of whether someone will have negative feelings after their abortion is their feelings before the abortion. Women who are confident that they are making the best choice for themselves and have the support of their loved ones usually have the least negative feelings after an abortion. You will have a counseling session at your appointment which will give you the opportunity to discuss anything you wish. Your support person can be involved in this counseling session, as well. We encourage you to talk about how you are feeling at both your procedure appointment and your follow-up and will attempt to assist with whatever advice or referrals you request.
Many different types of feelings are normal following an abortion, but if negative feelings are interfering with daily life and causing distress, it is important to seek help from a caring professional. Many times, distress following abortion is caused by a combination of events in your life (relationship changes, financial concerns, and other stressors) that may have been brought into focus at the time of your abortion. A psychologist or professional counseling service can assist you in working through grief or depression if you are overwhelmed by negative feelings. Any qualified and sympathetic psychologist or counselor can provide assistance with the types of emotions you are experiencing, so it is not necessary to seek out counseling targeted at women who have had an abortion. Many of the programs that advertise "after-abortion counseling" are anti-choice organizations that do not provide unbiased assistance.
There are also many books, specifically about abortion from a pro-choice perspective, which may be helpful if you are experiencing feelings of grief. Look around for which ones you find comforting and make sense to you. You can also find online some websites and other resources where women publish their experiences with abortion. It may be comforting to read other women's thoughts, or to post your own. Some good resources include I'm Not Sorry.net and the Feminist Women's Health Center. Getting involved with local feminist and pro-choice organizations may also help you to connect with other women who have had abortions or are sympathetic and supportive.
Our fees for abortion services vary by number of weeks pregnant, office location, and procedure and anesthesia chosen. Please see our pregnancy calculator to estimate the gestation of your pregnancy. You can call the office that is most convenient to you to find out specific fees.
Our fees include the cost of all services associated with the abortion procedure. The only additional charges that may apply will be for medications. If your blood is Rh negative, there will be a small additional fee for Rhogam. If you choose the non-surgical procedure, you may be given a prescription for a pain reliever that will cost approximately $10 to fill at most pharmacies.
Most insurance companies will cover some, if not all, of the surgical procedure when done in the first trimester. You can call your insurance company to find out what your plan will cover.
Certain state assistance programs will cover elective abortion. This varies from state to state. American Women's Services accepts Medicaid in New Jersey. Fee reductions are offered to patients in Pennsylvania and Virginia with medical assistance cards.
If you are interested in using insurance or medical assistance, please have your insurance information handy and call (800) 501-9162 to have them verify your coverage.
There is a mandatory check-up required two weeks after the surgical or three weeks after the non-surgical procedure. This follow-up is very important. We want to make sure that the procedure was successful and that your body is healing well. At your follow-up appointment, you will have an opportunity to discuss birth control options and receive a prescription for contraception.
It is always a good idea to let your physicians know about previous surgeries and treatments you may have had to ensure that you are getting the best care possible. And it is important to have a doctor that you trust and feel comfortable with. However, no doctor will be able to tell that you had an abortion. They will only know what you tell them.
If you use insurance to pay for your procedure, and are not the primary member of the policy, you should contact your insurer to inquire about their privacy policies.
State laws vary on parental involvement for minors under 18 seeking abortion services. If you are under 18, the law in the state where you are seeking an abortion, not the state you live in, will apply. If parental consent or notification is required, the consent or notification of any other person will not be accepted as a substitute. You are not required, in any circumstance, to get your spouse or partner's consent.
In Maryland:
The law states that, if you are less than 18 years old, one parent
(or legal guardian) must be notified prior to the procedure of your decision to have
an abortion. However, you may qualify for an exception if, in the professional judgment
of the physician: you are mature and capable to give informed consent for yourself; or,
notice would not be in your best interests; or, notice to the parent might lead to physical
or emotional abuse. Minors visiting any of our Maryland offices will be evaluated by the
physician for the exception before their procedure, if they choose not to notify their parent.
In New Jersey:
Parental involvement is not required.
In Pennsylvania:
If you are less than 18 years old, the consent of one of your parents
(or legal guardian) is required. This parent must accompany you to your appointment to
sign consent forms. If you feel that you cannot tell your parent, or that they will not
consent, you can apply for a judicial bypass to allow you to consent for yourself. To do
this, contact your local county court, or the court in the county our office is located in,
and ask about obtaining judicial bypass for an abortion. You will be asked to fill out
some forms, pay a small fee, and speak with a judge. This process does not take longer
than one week. You should receive your state-mandated counseling before you meet with
the judge. If you need help with this process, please call the office you are interested
in visiting and we will assist you.
In Virginia:
If you are less than 18 years old, the consent of one of your parents
(or legal guardian) is required. This parent must accompany you to your appointment to
sign consent forms. If you feel that you cannot tell your parent, or that they will not
consent, you can apply for a judicial bypass to allow you to consent for yourself. To do
this, contact your local county court, or the Virginia Beach county court, and ask about
obtaining judicial bypass for an abortion. You will be asked to fill out some forms, pay
a small fee, and speak with a judge. This process does not take longer than one week. You
should receive your state-mandated counseling before you meet with the judge. If you need
help with this process, please call the office and we will assist you.
Please wear loose, comfortable clothing to your appointment. If you plan to receive twilight sleep anesthesia, you will also need to bring a responsible support person with you who can drive you home. If you are having a non-surgical (medical) abortion or a surgical abortion with local anesthesia, then you are welcome to come to our office by yourself. Please do not bring any children to the office.
We ask you to bring payment in full or identification and your insurance card (and co-pay, if applicable) for the procedure. Please plan on being in the office for at least two to three hours, depending on the number of patients.
The average office visit is two to three hours, however, on some occasions and in some offices it can take longer. This does include time for completing paperwork, medical history review, intake, lab work, ultrasound, counseling session, exam and procedure, and recovery period. The surgical procedure itself takes approximately five minutes.
The non-surgical procedure does not involve surgery or a recovery period, but does require an examination and consultation with the clinician, which can take about 15 minutes.
Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and undergarments and flat shoes/sneakers are advised for patients choosing the surgical procedure. Patients are advised to bring a sanitary napkin with them. Non-surgical procedure patients can wear whatever they choose.
You can receive an appointment within one week of your call, usually sooner. Pennsylvania and Virginia require counseling at least 24 hours before an abortion. We do this counseling over the phone. It only takes about five minutes, but this means that you cannot receive a same-day appointment in these states.
