Thinking about abortion ?

What is an abortion?

Abortion is the termination (end) of a pregnancy by a procedure that empties the contents of the uterus (womb). Abortions are done at specialist clinics or hospitals.

The most common type of abortion is a surgical procedure called a suction curette. This involves the removal of the lining and the contents of the uterus by applying gentle suction to the inside of the uterus with a small plastic tube. This is a safe, simple and low risk procedure when done between 7-12 weeks of pregnancy. The procedure takes about 15 minutes, but you will need to be at the clinic or hospital for about four hours. Various reports put the number of abortions each year anywhere between around 70,000 and 90,000 but it is impossible to accurately count the numbers of abortions that take place in Australia because there is no national data collection system.

Will I remember anything?

Most abortions are done under a light sedation or 'twilight sleep'. This means you can choose to have medication that will make you relaxed and sleepy and you usually will not remember anything about the procedure. There is also the option of having a local anaesthetic only or a general anaesthetic. The staff at the clinic or hospital can talk about these options with you.

Is it safe?

Abortion is a safe and simple procedure in the first 12 weeks and the majority of women have no problems afterward. As with all medical procedures, however, there are some risks involved. You will need to discuss these with your doctor or the staff at the clinic or hospital. If it has been more that 12-14 weeks since your last period there is more involved in having an abortion. Each State and Territory has different laws about the maximum number of weeks pregnant a woman can be to have an abortion.

South Australia is the only state where comprehensive data on abortions are published. The information from the past decade shows that, on average, less than 1% of women who had abortions experienced complications. In fact, reported complications have decreased steadily.