Surgical Abortion
Our Center provides safe medical treatment for women seeking elective abortion in keeping with the following standards.
Reproductive Rights
Florida State law allows same day procedures. Married women do not need their husband’s consent. Parental notification, either by telephone or certified letter, is required if the patient is under the age of 18 (except if you are married or have a child already). If you are unable to tell your parent or guardian about your decision, you can ask for a court order so you do not have to tell.
For information that helps teens know their rights, please contact our office.
All information is confidential so that your privacy may be respected.
Your appointment and instructions
You can schedule your private abortion appointment by calling the office between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 to 12:00 noon on Saturday.
Be prepared to give a complete medical history including allergies to medications, serious medical problems and pre-existing conditions, previous operations, current medications and any other information that could be useful in your care.
Allow approximately 2-3 hours for your appointment time depending on which day of the week you schedule your appointment for an abortion.
- Dress comfortably and bring a pair of socks
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight
- You may bring one adult person (male or female) to wait for you and to drive you home
- NO children are allowed in the waiting room
- Bring your fee in cash, money order and all major credit card. Checks are not accepted.
- Bring a picture ID. If you are under the age of 18, proper parental notification must be given BEFORE the day of your appointment.
Please write down appointment date, time and directions to the Center which is located in Plantation.
Fees
Fees for an abortion are based on the results of our ultrasound performed at the time of your appointment. Our fees are fair and competitive and include: pregnancy testing, counseling, lab work and examination, sonogram, follow-up visit and birth. There is an additional charge for Rhogam for Rh Negative blood type.
Discounts for students and Medicaid patients are available.
Counseling
Each woman receives individual counseling services, which are provided on the day of your appointment to discuss the abortion procedure, risks and complications, birth control and follow-up care.
If you have questions regarding alternatives to abortion, a separate appointment should be made before you schedule an appointment to see the Doctor.
Laboratory Testing
A pregnancy test, hematocrit, blood Rh factor and blood pressure, pulse and temperature are routinely performed on the day of your appointment and are included in the total fee. There is an additional fee for RH Negative patients for Rhogam.
Procedures
Abortions are performed for women up to 12 weeks gestation.
Pelvic examination and ultrasound are performed to determine the exact length of pregnancy. It is common practice to use a local anesthetic for the cervix and I.V. (intravenous) sedation or “twilight sleep” to reduce anxiety and discomfort. You will be relaxed and less aware of what is going on around you; many women fall into a light sleep and say that they do not remember anything about the procedure afterwards.
The actual abortion, which is a vacuum aspiration, takes approximately 3-5 minutes and you may experience some mild to moderate cramping immediately after the procedure. You will be given an appropriate amount of recovery and observation time prior to leaving. Medications to prevent infection and control bleeding may be included.
For additional information and facts on abortion click here www.guttmacher.org
Post-operative Abortion Care and Follow-up
You may want to rest the day of your procedure but most women return to their normal activities the following day. If you need a note for school or work, please let your Counselor know. Some women have bleeding like a period for a week or so and others may only have spotting.
Running, heavy lifting and tub bathing should be avoided. The only absolute restrictions that you have are no tampons, douching or sexual intercourse for 3 weeks. This is to prevent infection and the risk of another pregnancy.
After this time, you may return to the Center for a follow-up abortion examination and complimentary birth control.
For confidential after-abortion counseling and support click here www.4exhale.org
Working Time
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| MON | 9AM-5PM |
| TUES | 9AM-5PM |
| WED | 9AM-5PM |
| THURS | 9AM-5PM |
| FRI | 9AM-5PM |
| SAT | 8:30AM-1PM |
| SUN | CLOSED |
