What Are the Types of Abortion?
Medical Abortion
A medical abortion involves taking medications to end your pregnancy.
Surgical Abortion
- Suction Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration) With this technique, gentle suction is used to empty the uterus. A suction abortion can be performed until about 14 to 16 weeks after your last period. This is the most common type of in-clinic abortion.
- Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) Abortion A D&E involves using suction and surgical instruments to empty a woman’s uterus. Doctors may recommend this type of procedure if it’s been 16 weeks or longer since your last period.
Late-Term Abortion
How to Prepare for an Abortion
Before a medical or surgical abortion, your doctor may perform a urine test, a physical exam, or a blood test. Additionally, you may need to have an ultrasound to confirm how far along you are in your pregnancy and to rule out ectopic pregnancy.
- Oral pain medicines, such as Vicodin, Valium, and ibuprofen
- Medicines to soften your cervix, such as misoprostol
- Dilating sticks that are placed in your cervix, such as laminaria or Dilapan
- Antibiotics to help prevent infections
- Sedation drugs
Finding a Doctor and Clinic
Planned Parenthood offers resources for finding clinics and health centers in your area.
Costs and Insurance Coverage
How Is an Abortion Performed?
The process will depend on the type of abortion you have.
Medical Abortion
Suction Abortion
- Inject numbing medication into your cervix
- Stretch the opening of your cervix with dilating rods
- Insert a thin tube into your uterus
- Use a small suction device or machine to remove the pregnancy tissue out of your uterus
After the suction abortion is over, you’ll stay in a recovery area for about an hour or until you feel well enough to go home.
D&E Abortion
You’ll probably be sedated for a D&E procedure.
First, your doctor will prepare your cervix with medicines that help open it. Dilator sticks (laminaria) are often given a few hours or a day before a D&E.
- Inject a numbing medication into your cervix
- Stretch the opening of your cervix with dilating rods
- Insert a thin tube into your uterus
- Use surgical instruments along with a suction device to remove the pregnancy tissue from your uterus
How Long Does It Take to Recover From an Abortion?
Most people heal quickly after an abortion, but your recovery might depend on the type of abortion you had and how far along you are in your pregnancy.
Recovery After Medical Abortion
Recovery After Surgical Abortion
You might bleed or spot for several weeks, but some people don’t bleed at all. Your healthcare provider may recommend that you use pads, so you can keep track of how much you bleed.
- Soak through two pads per hour for two hours
- Have pain or cramps that don’t get better with medicine
- Have a fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher
Abortion Resources
If you’re considering an abortion, you’re not alone. Many resources are available to help you through the process. Here are some of Everyday Health’s favorites:
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization that delivers vital reproductive healthcare, sex education, and information to millions of people around the world. On their site, you can search for clinics in your area and even chat with a health educator who can answer any questions or concerns you have about your pregnancy options.
National Abortion Federation (NAF)
The mission of the NAF is to unite, represent, serve, and support abortion providers in delivering patient-centered, evidence-based care. Their toll-free hotline provides callers with abortion referrals and financial assistance services. You can also locate a provider in your area right on their web site.
National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF)
The NNAF aims to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access. They help connect women with organizations that can assist with the costs of having an abortion.
Abortion Finder
AbortionFinder.org features more than 750 health centers and offers the most comprehensive directory of trusted and verified abortion service providers in the United States. You can also find information about how the laws in your state may affect your ability to get an abortion.
Next Steps and Recommendations
Some options include:
- Pills
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
- Shots
- Implants
If you’re interested in a birth control method, your doctor or nurse can walk you through your options.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Abortion. MedlinePlus. April 22, 2021.
- What Facts About Abortion Do I Need to Know? Planned Parenthood.
- Medical Abortion. Mayo Clinic. May 14, 2020.
- Biggs MA, Gould H, Foster DG. Understanding Why Women Seek Abortions in the US. BMC Women’s Health. July 5, 2013.
- Abortions Later in Pregnancy. Kaiser Family Foundation. December 5, 2019.
- Texas Senate Bill 8. LegiScan.
- Tavernise S, Benner K. Federal Judge Pauses Strict Texas Law Banning Mot Abortions. The New York Times. October 22, 2021.
- Petition for Writ of Certiorari. Supreme Court of the United States.
- Medical Versus Surgical Abortion. UCSF Health.
- Abortion — Surgical. MedlinePlus. October 8. 2021.
- In-Clinic Abortion. Planned Parenthood.
- The Abortion Pill. Planned Parenthood.
- Medical Abortion. UCSF Health.
- S.3 — Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. Congress.gov.
- How Safe Is an In-Clinic Abortion? Planned Parenthood.
- Surgical Abortion (Second Trimester). UCSF Health.
- Surgical Abortion (First Trimester). UCSF Health.
- How Do I Get an In-Clinic Abortion? Planned Parenthood.
- How Much Does an Abortion Cost? Planned Parenthood.
- Federally Qualified Health Centers. Health Resources and Services Administration. May 2018.
- Find a Health Center. Planned Parenthood.
- What Happens During an In-Clinic Abortion? Planned Parenthood.
- What Can I Expect After Having an In-Clinic Abortion? Planned Parenthood.
- What Can I Expect After I Take the Abortion Pill? Planned Parenthood.
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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- F. W. Ling (2015). "Overview of pregnancy termination." UpToDate.
- K. Pazol, A. A. Creanga, and D. J. Jamieson (2015). "Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2012." MMWR Surveillance Summary.
- Induced Abortions in the United States (2016); Guttmacher Institute.