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			termination : first trimester surgical abortion Surgical Abortion

	more methotrexate ru-486 surgery		Abortion is the termination or ending of a pregnancy after implantation. Most surgical abortions (97%) are done by placing an instrument the size of a pencil into the uterine cavity (the inside of the womb) and applying suction. This procedure is called vacuum aspiration. After the abortion you will be asked to remain in the office for a brief period of time before going home. Each year in the United States there are about 1.5 million abortions. Over the past decade, about half of all unintended pregnancies in the United States have been terminated by abortion. Over half of all abortions are done for women using contraception. Complete information about surgical abortion is available from your clinician. Advantages: This surgical procedure can be done using local anesthesia, quickly, safely, and with minimal widening of the cervical canal. The risk of death for a woman delivering a full-term baby is approximately 10 times greater than the risk of death from an early abortion. Many women do not have negative feelings after abortion but feel relieved. Disadvantages: Choosing to terminate a pregnancy is frequently a difficult process. Sometimes it is emotionally difficult to cope with this decision. You may experience cramping, pain, and bleeding. Although rare, serious complications may occur. Infection of the uterus or tubes can cause permanent scarring and lead to infertility. It may be difficult to find a clinician to perform an abortion. It may be expensive. Early surgical abortion involves an instrument entering the uterine cavity. Some people may feel guilty about ending a pregnancy. Where do I go to have an early surgical abortion and how do I decide? If you are pregnant and did not plan to be, you have a very important decision to make. Talk to your clinician or family planning clinic staff about this decision and where to go to have a safe abortion. Your decision should be to do what you, yourself, feel is right. You may want to discuss this decision with your husband, partner, counselor, friend or family member. The earlier in pregnancy an abortion is done, the safer and less expensive it is. What if I only recently had unprotected sex? For 72 hours AFTER unprotected sex, you can take emergency contraceptive pills to avoid becoming pregnant. For up to 7 days AFTER unprotected sex, you can have an IUD put in. Not all clinicians know about emergency contraception. If you want more information or would like the phone numbers of clinicians near you who prescribe emergency contraception, CALL the toll-free hotline 1-888-NOT-2-LATE or 1-800-584-9911. Some of these sources of help are free.

			Last Update: 12/13/2005