ISSUES
: Abortion
Chapter 1: Abortion facts
7
Suction aspiration can be used from
seven to 15 weeks of pregnancy. It
involves inserting a tube through
the vagina and into the uterus, and
removing the pregnancy using
suction. It’s usually carried out under
local anaesthetic, which is injected
into the cervix. Most women go
home a few hours later.
Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is
used after around 15 weeks of
pregnancy. The cervix is gently
stretched and dilated to enable
special forceps to be inserted.
Suction is then used to remove the
pregnancy. It usually takes between
10 and 20 minutes to perform D&E
under general anaesthetic (you’ll be
asleep while it happens). If there are
no complications, you can usually
go home that same day.
Does having an abortion
hurt?
You'll have some period-type pain or
discomfort. The later the abortion,
the more painful it may be. You'll be
advised about taking appropriate
painkillers.
With suction abortions, the injection
to numb the cervix can sometimes
be painful.
Youmight experience some bleeding
and period-type pains for up to 14
days after any type of abortion.
Are there any risks from
abortion?
The earlier an abortion is carried
out, the lower the risks. The main
risk after an abortion is infection
in the womb, so you may be given
antibiotics. In rare cases, the uterus
may perforate (this means it might
tear).
The risks associated with abortion
are:
Ö
damage to the uterus – happens
in less than one in 1,000 medical
abortions performed between
12 and 24 weeks, and up to four
in 1,000 surgical abortions
Ö
damage to the cervix – happens
in no more than ten in every
1,000 abortions
Ö
haemorrhage
(excessive
bleeding) – happens in about
one in every 1,000 abortions.
You should go back to your doctor
or clinic immediately if you get
symptoms of an infection after an
abortion. Symptoms include:
Ö
high temperature
Ö
vaginal discharge
Ö
abdominal pain that doesn’t
improve after taking painkillers.
If you have signs of still being
pregnant after the abortion, you
should have another pregnancy
test. If it’s positive, you'll need a
scan to confirm that the abortion
hasn’t worked. The abortion
procedure may need to be carried
out again.
Will an abortion affect my
ability to have a baby in the
future?
There is no evidence linking a
previous abortion with future
pregnancy problems. However, the
Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists (RCOG) states that
if you have a number of late-term
Source: Department of Health,
Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2015
Principle medical condition for abortions performed under ground E
(percentages), residents of England and Wales, 2015
Total abortions: 3,213
Congenital
malformations
of the nervous
system 22%
Other
congenital
malformations
23%
Other
conditions
18%
Chromosomal
abnormalities
37%
abortions, there might be a higher
risk of miscarriage or early birth.
Could I get pregnant again
immediately after an
abortion?
Yes. Some women can get pregnant
within four weeks of having an
abortion. You will be given advice
about contraception at the time of
your abortion and offered to have
your chosen method supplied or
fitted immediately, so that you are
able to plan any future pregnancy.
30 November 2017
Ö
The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from NHS Choices. Please
visit
for further
information.
© NHS Choices 2016
