Mifepristone (Abortion Pill)
This medical abortion is used for women who are within 30 to 49 days after their last menstrual period.
This procedure usually requires three office visits. The RU 486 or mifepristone pills are given to the woman
who returns two days later for a second medication called misprostol. The combination of these medications
causes the uterus to expel the fetus.
Manual Vacuum Aspiration
This surgical abortion is done early in the pregnancy up until 7 weeks after the last menstrual period.
The cervical muscle is stretched with dilators (metal rods) until the opening is wide enough to allow the
abortion instruments to pass into the uterus. A hand held syringe is attached to tubing that is inserted into
the uterus and the fetus is suctioned out.
Suction Curettage (Most Common)
In this procedure, the doctor opens the cervix with a dilator (a metal rod) or laminaria (thin sticks derived
from plants and inserted hours before the procedure). The doctor inserts tubing into the uterus and connects
the tubing to a suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus’ body apart and out of the uterus. One variation
of this procedure is called Dilation and Curettage (D&C). In this method, the doctor may use a curette, a
loop-shaped knife, to scrape the fetal body parts out of the uterus.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
This surgical abortion is done during the second trimester of pregnancy. Because the developing fetus doubles
in size between the eleventh and twelfth weeks of pregnancy, the body of the fetus is too large to be broken up
by suction and will not pass through the suction tubing. In this procedure, the cervix must be opened wider than
in a first trimester abortion. This is done by inserting laminaria a day or two before the abortion. After opening the
cervix, the doctor pulls out the fetal parts with forceps. The fetus’ skull is crushed to ease removal.
Dilation and Extraction (D&X) (Partial Birth)
This procedure takes three days. During the first two days, the cervix is dilated and medication is given for cramping.
On the third day, the woman receives medication to start labor. After labor begins, the abortion doctor uses ultrasound
to locate the baby’s legs. Grasping a leg with forceps, the doctor delivers the baby up to the baby’s head. Next, scissors
are inserted into the base of the skull to create an opening. A suction catheter is placed into the opening to remove the
skull contents. The skull collapses and the baby is removed.
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