Abortion Procedures and Risks
Be Fully Informed Before Considering an Abortion
We are committed to helping both women and men be well informed on abortion procedures as well as their risks through every stage of pregnancy. Talk to one of our licensed registered nurses online by scheduling a free telemedicine appointment. All of the following information has been sourced from AmericanPregnancy.org (last accessed and updated 7/2015). The videos were taken from our podcast, Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat.
1. First Trimester
In most cases, you will have a choice between medical or surgical procedures during the first trimester. Medical abortions are only available up through nine weeks gestation.
The types of abortion procedures performed during the first trimester are:
- Methotrexate & Misoprostol (MTX): A medical procedure used up to the first seven weeks of pregnancy. This medication combination is not as commonly used in the US with the availability of mifepristone, which works more effectively for this use.
- Mifepristone & Misoprostol: A medical procedure used up to the first seven to nine weeks of pregnancy. It can also be referred to as RU-486, the abortion pill, and Mifeprex.
- Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA): A procedure used as early as 3-12 weeks since the last period. Considered less invasive with only a local anesthesia being used on the cervix.
- Aspiration: A surgical procedure used to terminate pregnancy up to 16 weeks from the last period. It can also be referred to as suction curettage, dilation and curettage (D&C), or vacuum aspiration.
2. Second Trimester
Medication-based abortion procedures are not an option during the second trimester. The types of abortion procedures performed during the second trimester are:
- Dilation & Curettage (D&C): A surgical procedure used to terminate a pregnancy up to 16 weeks gestation. It is also referred to as suction curettage or vacuum aspiration.
- Dilation & Evacuation (D&E): A surgical procedure used to terminate a pregnancy after 16 weeks gestation.
- Induction Abortion: A rarely performed surgical procedure where salt water, urea, or potassium chloride is injected into the amniotic sac; prostaglandins are inserted into the vagina, and pitocin is injected intravenously.
3. Third Trimester
Third trimester or late term abortions are not legal in a number of states except in certain medical situations. The time frame referred to as late term is often based on when a baby is considered “viable” (able to survive outside the womb). However, the point of “viability” is a gray area in many medical communities. Most medical communities establish 24 weeks gestation, the later part of the second trimester, as the earliest time of viability. Therefore, the availability of any procedure used in the third trimester is based on the laws of that state. The types of procedures that can be done in the third trimester include:
- Induction Abortion: A rarely done surgical procedure where salt water, urea, or potassium chloride is injected into the amniotic sac, prostaglandins are inserted into the vagina, and pitocin is injected intravenously.
- Dilation and Extraction: A surgical abortion procedure used to terminate a pregnancy after 21 weeks of gestation. This procedure is also known as D & X, Intact D & X, Intrauterine Cranial Decompression, and Partial Birth Abortion.
Abortion Alternatives and Resources
While we believe you have a right to be fully informed about abortion procedures, we do not perform or refer for abortions. If you are feeling uncertain about an unplanned pregnancy, please reach out to our team and make an appointment to talk about your situation. We are here to help you.
Telemedicine appointments available. Talk to one of our licensed registered nurses online by scheduling a free telemedicine appointment.