Abortion 101 READY FOR REVIEW

Alexa…what happens when you have an abortion? A simple enough question but one that leads to an avalanche of contradictory information, scaremongering advice and hearsay. Fumble is here to take you through the three most common types of abortion: medical, vacuum and D&A (Dilation and Evacuation.

Medical Abortion

A medical abortion uses medicine (shocker) to end a pregnancy. It doesn’t require anaesthetic or surgery and is usually recommended for pregnancies under 12 weeks, though it can occasionally be used for later-stage pregnancies.

The first step in a medical abortion is taking a pill called mifepristone: this halts the hormone that allows the pregnancy to move forward. After 48 hours you’ll take a second pill called misoprostol that will break down the lining of your womb just like your monthly period would…so no surprises for you there! You may experience pain like period cramps as well as nausea and diarrhoea so stock up on sanitary pads and paracetamol beforehand.

Medical abortions account for 66% of abortions performed in the UK.

Vacuum Abortion

A vacuum abortion uses suction to end a pregnancy and is usually used for pregnancies under 15 weeks. It requires the use of either a local anaesthetic (where one area is numbed), conscious sedation (where your whole body is numbed but awake), or more rarely a general anaesthetic (where you’re put to sleep).

Your cervix will be dilated (widened) for several hours and a small vacuum will be inserted into the womb to suck out its contents.

The process will usually take 5-10 minutes. It’s likely you will experience stomach cramps and vaginal bleeding for a week or two so try and take it easy in the weeks following, be gentle with yourself!

Vacuum abortions account for 28% of all abortions in the UK.

Dilation and Evacuation Abortion

A dilation and evacuation abortion uses surgery to end a pregnancy and is usually used for pregnancies around 15 weeks. It requires the use of a general aesthetic.

The cervix is dilated (widened) for several hours or up to a day before instruments called forceps are inserted into the womb to remove its contents. The process only takes 10-20 minutes. It’s likely you will experience stomach cramps and light vaginal bleeding for up to a month following the procedure so self-care and rest during this time is a must. Fumble recommends bubble baths, chocolate and lots of downtime.

Dilation and evacuation abortions account for 6% of all abortions in the UK.

If you or a friend is considering ending a pregnancy you can seek confidential advice and arrange an appointment through the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Tel: 03457 30 4030), Marie Stopes UK (0345 300 8090) and the National Unplanned PregnancyAdvisory Service (0333 004 6666).

You can also ask your GP, contraception clinic, family planning clinic, sexual health clinic or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic for a referral to an abortion service.