Surgical Abortion
Before any elective procedure, it is important to know the potential impact it could have on your body and future health. Risks and side effects vary by the type of procedure and how far along you are in pregnancy. For surgical abortions, patients are typically given pain medications and antibiotics.
Manual Vacuum Aspiration – Until about 7 weeks after last menstrual period (LMP)
This surgical abortion is done early in the pregnancy up until 7 weeks after the woman’s last menstrual period. A long, thin tube is inserted into the uterus. A large syringe is attached to the tube and the embryo is suctioned out. Not all doctors provide this option.
Suction Curettage – About 6-14 weeks after LMP
This is the most common surgical abortion procedure. Because the fetus is larger, the doctor must first open the cervix using metal rods or dilators. After the cervix is stretched open, the doctor inserts a hard plastic tube into the uterus. Next the tube is connected to a manual or electric suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus’s body apart and pulls it out of the uterus. The doctor may also use a loop-shaped tool called a curette to scrape the fetus and fetal parts out of the uterus.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) – Between about 13-24 weeks after LMP
This surgical abortion is done during the second trimester of pregnancy. At this point in pregnancy, the fetus is too large to be broken up by suction alone and will not pass through the suction tubing. In this procedure, the cervix must be opened wider than in a first trimester abortion. This can be done by inserting numerous thin rods made of seaweed (called laminaria) a day or two before the abortion. Once the cervix is stretched open, the doctor pulls out the fetal parts with forceps. The fetal skull is often crushed to ease removal. A loop-shaped tool called a curette is also used to scrape out the contents of the uterus, removing any remaining tissue.
In-Clinic Surgical Abortion Risks Include:
- Heavy bleeding – Hemorrhaging may be caused by cervical tears, uterine punctures, retained tissue, or when the uterus fails to contract. When this happens, a dilation and curettage (D&C) may be required to stop the bleeding and sometimes a blood transfusion may be necessary.
- Incomplete abortion – If the abortion removes some, but not all of the pregnancy tissue, it may lead to infection and bleeding.
- Infection – All surgeries carry a risk of infection.
- Organ damage – The cervix and/or uterus can be cut, torn, or punctured by abortion instruments or the sharp pieces of the fetal bones. These risks are greatest in late term abortion. On rare occasions, the bowel or bladder may also be injured if perforation occurs.
- Embolus – An embolus is when a blood clot, air bubble, fatty deposit, or another object has been carried in the bloodstream to lodge in a vessel or in the lung.
- Anesthesia complications – Medications for pain can cause allergic reactions of varying degrees.
- Rh sensitization – All women should have a blood test to determine if they are Rh negative and, if so, receive Rhogam to prevent antibodies that may cause complications in future pregnancies.
- In extreme cases, death.
The later term abortions carry the highest risks. Please make an appointment at Phoenix Women’s Clinic if you would like to discuss in further detail these procedures and potential short and long-term risks.
What Are the Potential Future Risks?
There is evidence of emotional, relational, and even spiritual risks following an abortion procedure. Most women say they initially felt relief and looked forward to their lives returning to normal. On the other hand, some women report negative emotions after abortion that linger unresolved. For others, problems related to their abortion emerge months or even years later.
After an abortion, most women are able to become pregnant again. However, abortion may increase the risk of infertility. Abortion may also increase the risk of complications in future pregnancies and the health of future children. Below are a few of the potential risks:
- Pre-Term Birth
- Low Birth Weight
- Placenta Previa
To learn more about emotional risks after abortion, make an appointment to talk with someone at Phoenix Women’s Clinic about your options.
Make an appointment online or call 602-305-5100. No insurance is required.
Surgical Abortion Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does a surgical abortion work?
Surgical abortion is an invasive procedure where a series of surgical instruments known as dilators (metal rods of different thickness) widen the cervix. During the procedure anesthesia may vary. A suction device is used to remove the embryo from the uterus through the vaginal. For the second trimester, instruments like forceps are used to dismantle and remove the fetus.
Do I have to get a surgical abortion if I already took the abortion pill?
The abortion pill is only eligible up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. There is a risk of an incomplete abortion occurring, meaning that some tissue of the pregnancy remained in the uterus. In this case, the provider will perform a surgical abortion to remove the remainder of the pregnancy to prevent infection. If the abortion pill is ineffective and the pregnancy continues, a surgical abortion will be recommended by the abortion provider to terminate the pregnancy.
Am I fully sedated or awake during a surgical abortion?
Sedation level depends on the clinic’s protocol. Local anesthesia (when you are awake, but numb in the area of the procedure), conscious sedation (when you are aware, but drowsy), and general anesthesia (when you are fully unconscious) are types of sedation offered. It is important to know what sedation will be offered prior to a surgical abortion.
Will I feel anything during a surgical abortion?
Sensation depends on the type of sedation given during the procedure and the individual’s sensitivity to the sedation.
Will I have a follow up appointment after a surgical abortion?
Providers will have you follow up after having a surgical abortion. Some women do not go if they thing it is unnecessary. It is important to go to these appointments to ensure you have no complications after the procedure.