COVID-19: If you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, have possibly had close contact with someone with COVID-19 or have traveled internationally or to an area of the U.S. with high rates of infection within the past 14 days, please call 603-225-2739 before coming to the office.
Medication Abortion
General InformationMedication abortion – sometimes called the pill abortion, RU-486, the abortion pill, or the early option pill, is a process similar to miscarriage, induced by a combination of medications. It requires two visits to the Health Center, as well as a 24-hour period during which you will pass the pregnancy at your own home.
In order to be eligible for medication abortion – abortion by pill:
|
|
What to Expect at Your Appointment
When you call to schedule an appointment for an abortion procedure, please be aware that we will be reviewing a great deal of information with you, so give yourself about 15-20 minutes of private time to speak with us. We will need to determine how far you are into your pregnancy, as measured from the first day of your last normal period (LMP). During this time we will discuss which abortion procedure is right for you, medication or surgical.
Once you have made your abortion by pill appointment, a health worker from our staff will e-mail you your paperwork to review prior to your appointment.
On the day of your medication abortion, plan to be at the Health Center for approximately 2 hours. You will need to have several labs completed including a urine pregnancy test and blood tests for Rh typing and anemia. You will meet with our medical practitioner, who will review your medical history and do a brief physical exam and pregnancy-dating vaginal ultrasound.
Afterwards, you will speak privately with a health worker. At this time, we will discuss your options with you, answering any questions you may have. It is important that you understand the risks and complications associated with all of your pregnancy options; and that you make a choice regarding your pregnancy of your own free will. Your health worker will provide you with in-depth information regarding the abortion process and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
After the counseling portion of your appointment our medical practitioner will give you the first medication, Mifeprex, which you take by mouth in the office.
Between 24 and 48 hours after you take the Mifeprex in the office, you will take Misoprostol at your home, at a time you have agreed on with your practitioner. After taking Misoprostol you should expect to have moderate to heavy bleeding and cramping that can be mild to severe at times. The pregnancy tissue is usually passed within six to eight hours from the time you take the Misoprostol, but it may take longer, which is why we ask you to clear your schedule for 24 hours.
You will be given our handout: Equality Health Center Medical Abortion Home Care Instructions which you will discuss with your health worker in counseling, and which provides detailed instructions and what to expect during the medication abortion process.
Your health worker will also help you examine the different methods of birth control and other related considerations as you determine which method of contraception is best for you. It is important to remember that all birth control methods try to prevent pregnancy, but most do not prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. If you are sexually active and using some form of birth control, it is important to pick a method that you will remember to use as directed to reduce possible failure.
Equality Health Center staff are on-call 24-hours a day, 7 days/week to respond to medical emergencies, answer questions and provide support to those undergoing the medication abortion procedure at home. We urge those choosing this method to call us if they have any concerns about the process or their symptoms.
Once you have made your abortion by pill appointment, a health worker from our staff will e-mail you your paperwork to review prior to your appointment.
On the day of your medication abortion, plan to be at the Health Center for approximately 2 hours. You will need to have several labs completed including a urine pregnancy test and blood tests for Rh typing and anemia. You will meet with our medical practitioner, who will review your medical history and do a brief physical exam and pregnancy-dating vaginal ultrasound.
Afterwards, you will speak privately with a health worker. At this time, we will discuss your options with you, answering any questions you may have. It is important that you understand the risks and complications associated with all of your pregnancy options; and that you make a choice regarding your pregnancy of your own free will. Your health worker will provide you with in-depth information regarding the abortion process and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
After the counseling portion of your appointment our medical practitioner will give you the first medication, Mifeprex, which you take by mouth in the office.
Between 24 and 48 hours after you take the Mifeprex in the office, you will take Misoprostol at your home, at a time you have agreed on with your practitioner. After taking Misoprostol you should expect to have moderate to heavy bleeding and cramping that can be mild to severe at times. The pregnancy tissue is usually passed within six to eight hours from the time you take the Misoprostol, but it may take longer, which is why we ask you to clear your schedule for 24 hours.
You will be given our handout: Equality Health Center Medical Abortion Home Care Instructions which you will discuss with your health worker in counseling, and which provides detailed instructions and what to expect during the medication abortion process.
Your health worker will also help you examine the different methods of birth control and other related considerations as you determine which method of contraception is best for you. It is important to remember that all birth control methods try to prevent pregnancy, but most do not prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. If you are sexually active and using some form of birth control, it is important to pick a method that you will remember to use as directed to reduce possible failure.
Equality Health Center staff are on-call 24-hours a day, 7 days/week to respond to medical emergencies, answer questions and provide support to those undergoing the medication abortion procedure at home. We urge those choosing this method to call us if they have any concerns about the process or their symptoms.
Follow-Up Care
If you had a medication abortion (an abortion by pill), it is essential that you attend a 30 minute follow-up appointment, one week after your first appointment, to be sure that the procedure is complete. This may is typically conducted over telehealth, but may be in-person depending on your needs. There is no cost for this visit, as it is covered in your initial fee. The medical provider will talk to you about how you are doing, both emotionally and physically. If you haven’t already done so, you will also have the opportunity to discuss birth control options and choose a method.