Surgical Abortion

The vacuum aspiration abortion is one of the safest and simplest of medical procedures. Although the abortion itself takes only a few minutes, you should plan on being at the clinic for 4 to 5 hours. Detailed information about the procedure is readily available, including how the abortion is done and aftercare instructions. This information, as well as day-of-surgery instructions and travel directions, can be mailed to you on request.

 When you make your appointment we will need to make arrangement for you to obtain information mandated by the State of Indiana. You must receive this information a minimum of 18 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

 When you arrive at the clinic you must be ready to show us your identification. This I.D. must include both a photograph and your date of birth. We will ask you to fill out medical history and consent forms. An ultrasound will be performed to check the length of your pregnancy. Your blood will be drawn and some lab tests performed. A patient advocate will review the procedure and aftercare instructions with you and a small group of other patients. Then a patient advocate will spend some time with you individually to review your medical history, discuss birth control options and discuss any additional concerns you may have.

You will then be taken to a waiting area where you will be greeted by a health professional who will show you to one of the procedure rooms. Our doctor will first check the length of your pregnancy with a pelvic exam. A local anesthetic will be used to numb and relax the cervical area.

 The abortion procedure itself takes about 3-5 minutes and you will then be escorted to the recovery room where your vital signs will be checked and you will receive medication and important aftercare instructions.

 We strongly recommend that you arrange for a post-op exam four weeks following your surgery. You may return to Clinic for Women for this exam, at no additional charge, or you may go to your own physician or local health care clinic. We are available 24 hours a day in case of emergency; you can also call us during business hours if you have any questions or concerns in the weeks following your surgery.