Abortion - Fertility and methods of termination
What about my fertility?
It's easy to say, but don't worry. It's very rare that a woman's fertility is affected and it's unlikely that the abortion is unsuccessful - the failure rate is about 10 in 1000.
Methods of termination
There are many methods of abortion, but there are just two methods that are widely used. The method used depends on how many weeks pregnant you are and your personal circumstances.
Up to 9 weeks of pregnancy:
You are given two different medicines, 48 hours apart, by your doctor or the clinic. The effects are similar to an early miscarriage. You may feel sick and have cramps, like you have with a period, but you can take painkillers. You don't need to stay in the clinic overnight. You'll have a follow-up appointment on the second day to take the second medicine and you will have a follow-up appointment after this.
From 9 weeks of pregnancy:
A method called medical vacuum aspiration (MVA) is used. This is a very quick, gentle procedure where light suction is used to empty the uterus. You can choose to have a local or general anaesthetic. You may feel some discomfort, like strong period pain. It's unlikely that you'll need to stay overnight and you can usually go home after a few hours.
For more information and advice visit Marie Stopes International or Brook
By Louise O'Connell
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