Abortion Procedures:

Suction Curettage:
This procedure is done between 7-14 weeks after your last menstrual period(LMP).

The doctor must first stretch open the cervix by using metal rods. This may be painful, so local or general anesthesia is usually needed. After the cervix is stretched open, the doctor will insert a hard plastic tube into the uterus. He or she will then connect the tube to a suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus's body apart and out of the uterus. A loop-shaped knife, called a curette, may also be used to scrape the fetus and fetal parts out of the uterus.

Dilation and Evacuation:
This procedure is done between 13-24 weeks after your LMP.

In this procedure, since the fetus is too large to be broken up by suction alone, the cervix must be opened wider than a first trimester abortion. This is done by inserting several thin rods made of seaweed (called laminaria) a day or two before the abortion. Once the cervix is opened enough, the doctor will pull out the fetal parts with forceps. A loop-shaped knife (curette) is also used to scrape out the contents of the uterus, removing any remaining tissue.

Dilation and Extraction:
This procedure is done from 20 weeks after LMP to Full-Term. This procedure takes three days.

The doctor will insert laminaria rods into the cervix which will stretch the cervix open over two days. On the third day, the doctor will use ultrasound to locate the legs of the fetus. He or she will grasp the leg with forceps and pull the fetus down into the vagina. After the body is delivered, the skull is lodged at the cervical opening. The doctor will then insert scissors into the base of the skull of the fetus and use a suction catheter to remove the brains. This will collapse the fetus's skull and the doctor will remove the fetus.

RU486, MIFEPRISTONE:
This is an abortion pill taken within 4 to 8 weeks after LMP.

The procedure usually requires three office visits. During the first visit, the woman is either given an injection or an oral dose of mifepristone which causes the death of the embryo. Heavy bleeding is usually experienced. Two days later, if the abortion has not taken place, the woman is given a second drug called prostaglandin which causes cramps to expel the embryo. The third visit is to determine if the procedure has been completed.