How to Prepare for Your Abortion Appointment

Women’s Health

Abortion is a common experience with about 1 in every 4 pregnancies across the world ending in abortion, and about 1 in every 5 pregnancies in the U.S. Nearly all abortions happen in the first trimester (the first 12 weeks of pregnancy), with the majority of them happening within the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. With legal abortion being the only safe and effective way to end a pregnancy, it is important to know how to prepare and what to expect before, during, and after your abortion appointment.

What are the types of abortion?

There are two types of abortion:

You may choose between these two types of abortion considering how far along a pregnancy is, the time each method takes, and whether you feel more comfortable in the clinic or at the coziness of your home.

A medication abortion (the abortion pill)

A medical abortion uses pills that can be either swallowed or inserted through the vagina in the cervix. This kind of procedure can be done from the very beginning of the pregnancy up until weeks 10 to 12. 

A medical abortion involves taking one pill at the abortion clinic and another one when you get home. After you take the second abortion pill, your uterus will cramp, bleed, and empty in the next few hours, similar to a miscarriage. You shouldn’t be concerned if the level of cramping and bleeding becomes intense since it varies from person to person and may depend on the timing in the pregnancy. The abortion clinic in Fort Lauderdale offers medication abortion, and your follow-up appointment usually comes after a week or two.

Medication abortions that occur in the first trimester are very safe and effective – 95% of people need no further treatment. In those small number of cases where the abortion pill doesn’t work completely, another pill or an aspiration procedure comes as a follow-up. Serious complications are very rare and occur in less than 0.4%.

An aspiration abortion (surgical abortion procedure)

This is the procedure where the contents of the uterus are removed. This is done at a clinic or hospital and is usually available until about week 16 of pregnancy, although some clinics don’t offer it after week 12. Some clinics offer to conduct this procedure right after a person finds out they are pregnant, while others don’t until week 5 or 6 from the first day of the last period.

This procedure usually takes 5 to 10 minutes and is available at the abortion clinic in Fort Lauderdale. An hour or two before the abortion you will be given medication and offered anesthetic to block pain, make you feel sleepy, or be completely asleep. Your healthcare provider then inserts an instrument into the vagina, and through the cervix, to reach the uterus where the content is suctioned out. After the procedure you will spend about half an hour resting at our clinic before heading home.

Surgical abortions done in the first trimester are safe and effective – 99% of people don’t need any follow-up procedure, and serious complications are very rare, happening in less than 0.2% of cases in the U.S.

Preparing for Abortion Appointment

After deciding on the type of abortion and booking with us, it is time to prepare for your appointment. In the following lines, we will give you advice on what to bring with you, how to arrange travel, guidance on eating and drinking before the treatment, and much other helpful information.

Arrange for someone to accompany you

We strongly recommend bringing a friend or a family member to your abortion appointment. They will be allowed to stay with you in the waiting area, but not during your consultation, procedure, or in the recovery area where our staff will support you. If you are under 16, we recommend an adult to accompany you home after the treatment.

Arrange your return travel

After the abortion, you won’t be able to drive yourself home. We also advise against using public transport. It would be for the best if someone should travel home with you and keep you company for the next 24 hours. If you are traveling from overseas, we suggest staying overnight with friends or family if possible.

What to bring

Allow approximately 2-3 hours for your appointment time depending on which day of the week you schedule your abortion appointment. We’ll ask you to bring the following things to your abortion appointment:

  • Any medication you are taking (including inhalers)
  • Information from your doctor about any medical conditions
  • Referral letter from your doctor or family planning clinic
  • Don’t eat or drink anything after midnight
  • Notes from a previous consultation
  • Dress comfortably and bring a pair of socks
  • An extra pair of underwear
  • Sanitary pads suitable for a heavy flow, not tampons or menstrual cup
  • Your glasses and contact lens kit, if you use one. You may need to remove contact lenses before treatment
  • Bring your fee in cash, money order, and all major credit card. Checks are not accepted
  • Bring a picture ID. If you are under 18, the proper parental notification must be given before the day of your appointment

Arrange childcare and breastfeeding

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to bring children into the clinic. please, arrange childcare, since your appointment will take several hours.

If you are breastfeeding, small traces of the medication could pass into the breast milk. Women having a surgical abortion with an anesthetic can breastfeed after the recovery. If you have a medical abortion, we recommend waiting for 5 hours after taking the second set of pills to breastfeed.

Abortion Appointment at Aastra Women’s Center

If you have decided to have an abortion, Aastra Women’s Center is a perfect place for you. Our doctors and medical staff are the best the country has to offer. You will be welcomed with a smile and we will do everything in our power for you to feel comfortable. We offer professional service, a kind word, support, and an open heart. Our goal is simple. It’s what’s best for you. Each woman is treated based on her individual medical history in an atmosphere of safety, dignity, and respect.