Abortion
The Facts
 An abortion means ending a pregnancy.
There are different ways an abortion is carried out depending on how long the woman has been pregnant. The two main methods are Medical Abortion (known as 'the abortion pill') and Vacuum Aspiration (known as 'the suction method')
Abortion is legal under 24 weeks of pregnancy in England, Wales and Scotland.
Two doctors must agree that an abortion is necessary (this is a legal requirement) for one of the following reasons:
- Having the baby would harm the woman's mental or physical health.
- Having the baby would harm the mental or physical health of any children she already has.
An abortion is also legal at any time during pregnancy if two doctors agree that:
- the abortion is necessary to save the woman's life or prevent serious permanent harm to her mental and physical health.
- There is a high risk that the baby would be seriously handicapped.
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Please note: - The stage of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of the woman's last period.
- Different laws apply outside England, Wales and Scotland regarding pregnancy.
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It is important to act quickly. It is usually easiest to get an abortion on the NHS if a woman is under 12 weeks pregnant.
To get an abortion on the NHS, a woman needs to be referred by a doctor. This can be either:
- Her own GP
- A doctor at a local Family Planning Clinic
- A Brook Centre (specifically for under 25's)
Women can refer themselves for a private abortion. Early abortion start from around £350 and go up to £750 or above in the later stages of pregnancy.
Young women under 16 can have an abortion but special rules apply about consent. Brook Centres are used to seeing young people under 16 and can provide confidential help.
Thinking it Through
Having a termination can be a difficult decision and you should give yourself time to think and talk it through with someone you trust.
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Also known as 'the abortion pill'.
This method of abortion can be performed in the first 9 weeks of pregnancy.
The method of abortion does not involve surgery.
The woman is given a pill (mifepristone) and 36 - 48 hours later, a tablet (prostaglandin) is placed in her vagina.
These drugs end most early pregnancies within the following 4 hours and this feels like having a heavy and rather painful period.
Please note:
This method is not available everywhere and women should check availability with their referring doctor. |
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Also know as 'the suction method'.
This method of abortion is available up to 13 weeks of pregnancy.
For this method the woman has either a general or local anaesthetic.
The cervix (entrance to the womb) is gently stretched to allow a tube to pass through it into the womb.
Once the tube is inserted it only takes a minute to remove the pregnancy by suction.
Healthy woman take only an hour or so to recover and most go home the same day.
Please note:
This method of abortion is carried out through the vagina and there is no wound or stitches. |
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