Abortion Procedure
No woman tries to get pregnant so she can have an abortion.
Abortion is a very difficult decision resulting from an unplanned
and unwanted pregnancy. 67% of American women are at risk
of an unintended pregnancy (18.4% are not sexually active,
6.1% are sterile, 8.5% are already pregnant, are post-partum
or are trying to become pregnant). Unintended pregnancies
can occur for many reasons including failed contraception,
no use of contraception, misuse or inconsistent use of contraception,
rape, incest, or misinformation from a physician or partner.
For example, a woman being told she is unable to conceive.
We all take risks from time to time and we all make mistakes.
The positive side is that we can learn from our mistakes and
be better prepared for our future. Having an unwanted pregnancy
can be a very trying time; we may find out which of our family
members will stick by us, we may learn about the attitudes
of family and friends, and the strength of these relationships
may be tested. You will probably learn something about yourself.
If you are confronting an unintended pregnancy, please bear
in mind that you are not alone. There are many women who have
been or are currently in a similar situation, and there are
many people who are available to help you in any way that
they can. Please feel free to use the clinic as a source of
information and support and as a resource for referrals for
whatever your needs may be.
- Choosing
We support every woman's right to a safe, legal abortion
in a strictly confidential setting. We believe the right to
obtain an abortion is fundamental to women's freedom. Women
who face an unplanned pregnancy must have access to accurate
information so that they may make an informed, uncoerced decision.
We have specially trained counselors who are happy to discuss
an unwanted pregnancy with a woman. A counselor can explore
a woman's options with her, and when needed, she can refer women
to other clinics or agencies. Whether a woman chooses a termination
of her pregnancy, adoption, or parenthood, her counselor will
help her assess her needs and make the choice that is most suited
to her particular situation and her goals. Regardless of her
decision, every woman deserves the best medical care available.
At MCRH, we provide an environment in which a woman can have
an abortion that is safe, elective, dignified, and confidential.
We provide thorough counseling for our patients in order to
assure that each woman's medical and emotional needs are met.
Our counselors, lab technicians, nurses, and doctors support
each woman while she is in our facility before, during, and
after her procedure.
- About Us
We are a licensed abortion provider in the State of Tennessee
and our physicians are licensed Obstetrician Gynecologists.
The pregnancy termination is an outpatient procedure. We do
first trimester abortions from 5 to 14 weeks since a woman's
last normal menstrual period (LNMP). The day of your appointment,
you will be at the clinic for approximately 4-5 hours. The
services included in your abortion fee are pregnancy testing,
lab work, abortion and birth control counseling, pelvic exam,
pap smear, ultrasound, the procedure itself, pre- and post-operative
medications, and a follow-up exam two weeks following your
procedure.
All of the staff at Memphis Center for Reproductive Health
feel a special responsibility to make certain you fully understand
all aspects of the abortion procedure. In addition to skilled
medical care, we provide special counseling and educational
services to make sure you fully understand all of your options.
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Following is an outline of the way you will
spend your time in the clinic:
- Pregnancy test
- Medical Chart
- Ultrasound to determine the length of your pregnancy
- Labwork
- Counseling: After your lab tests are complete you
will meet with one of our counselors. She will review
your medical history and will give you the opportunity
to ask questions and to discuss your feelings about
your decision to have an abortion. This conversation
is strickly confidential, so please ask any questions
which come to mind.
- After individual counseling the nurses will dispense
two medications to you, including a medicine to help
alleviate cramping and an antibiotic to begin to fight
off infection. During the procedure, the doctor will
inject a local anesthetic called lidocaine into your
cervix for pain management.
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The Procedure
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The abortion procedures are done in the
order that you arrive at the clinic. The procedure is performed
by vacuum aspiration up to the 14th week since the first
day of a woman's last normal menstrual period. Vacuum aspiration
is the safest method available during this stage of pregnancy.
The procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes. The doctor
will first do a pelvic exam (bimanual exam) to determine
the size of the uterus. The doctor may also elect to do
an ultrasound to confirm the length of the pregnancy. The
local anesthetic lidocaine is used to numb the cervix. The
vacuum aspirator produces a mild suction which gently empties
the uterus. Women often experience a sensation of pressure
and oftentimes feel menstrual-like cramping. A counselor
will be in the procedure room with you to help make you
as comfortable as possible during your procedure. For some
women this means having someone to hold their hand and explain
what is happening. To others, it means having someone to
remind them to take deep breaths and to talk about something
other than the procedure.
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- Recovery
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After your procedure, you will rest for
20-30 minutes under the observation of our nurse. If you
have a negative blood type, the medication Rhogam will be
administered. The nurse will check your vital signs periodically
and will give you an Ergonovine tablet. Ergonovine is a
medication you will be taking for 24 hours following your
procedure to help contract your uterus back to its normal,
non-pregnant size. Ergonovine helps reduce your bleeding
as well as reduce your chance of an infection. A nurse will
discuss your aftercare instructions with you prior to leaving
the clinic, including providing you with additional Ergonovine
tablets and an antibiotic. We provide each patient with
explicit aftercare instructions and we recommend as much
rest as possible for the two days following the abortion.
Please feel free to call us at any time following your abortion
if you are having any complications or you simply have a
question.
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Follow-Up
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It is very important to see a doctor within
2 to 3 weeks following your procedure. You are welcome to
return to the clinic or you may opt to see your personal
physician or go to another clinic if you live out of town.
The follow-up exam is included in your abortion fee, so
there will be no charge if you choose to return to us. The
follow-up exam includes a pregnancy test and a pelvic exam
so that the doctor can assess if the uterus has returned
to its normal size. It is also a good time to discuss your
birth control method. If you chose to have a pap smear the
day of your procedure, we will have the results upon your
return, and we can discuss any abnormalities at that time.
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