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A medical abortion uses medication to end a pregnancy. The treatment involves taking two types of medicine at two different times. It is the safest treatment option up to 9 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy for most people.
Not everyone is suitable for a medical abortion, although if that’s the case, you may still be able to have a surgical abortion with us.
Ask your GP about medical abortion.
Or call us any time to discuss your options with one of our nurses
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Medical abortion involves taking two different medications.
The first medication that is taken, called mifepristone, blocks the hormone needed for pregnancy to grow.
Either at the same time 24, 48 or 72 hours later, a second medication is taken called misoprostol, which causes the body to expel the pregnancy from the womb. Misoprostol causes the softening and opening of the cervix (neck of the womb) and contractions of the womb, so that the pregnancy can pass through the vagina.
This two-stage dose of medication is a very safe way to terminate an early pregnancy.
When you arrive at one of our clinics, you'll have a consultation (if you've not already had a phone consultation) and medical assessment with one of our specialist nurses.
They'll check how many weeks you have been pregnant with an ultrasound scan. They’ll also discuss your medical history, talk about contraceptives, and go through the medical abortion process with you in detail.
You’ll take two sets of pills as part of your abortion. The first pill - mifepristone - is swallowed with water in the clinic. The second set of abortion pills - misoprostol - are also taken in the clinic. In some of our centres, the second set of pills can be given to you to take at home, depending on whether you are eligible. Not all of our centres and clinics are currently providing this service. We will talk you through available options at your appointment.
There are two different ways to take misoprostol, either by mouth (dissolved between the cheek and gum) or by inserting the pills into your vagina. The method will depend on the amount of time taken between the first and second set of pills.
Find out moreDuring a medical abortion it's likely you'll experience strong cramping and heavy bleeding for a few hours, although this varies for each person. As part of your consultation we’ll give you advice on painkillers you can take.
The abortion will usually begin within 2 - 5 hours, and is usually fully complete within 1 - 2 days. During this time it would be expected for you to pass the pregnancy tissue and blood clots that may range in size from small (the size of a pound coin) to quite large (the size of a lemon) – this is a normal part of the abortion process.
Every person is different, and will experience different levels of pain and bleeding. We will let you know when to take further pain relief at your appointment. Once the pregnancy has been passed, your bleeding will usually become less. It may continue to be quite heavy for a day or two as the womb needs to return to its normal size.
Our nurses will be there to answer any questions and to help you feel relaxed and comfortable during and after your treatment.
Our nurses can answer any questions you have after your treatment, and are available on our 24-hour aftercare line - 0345 122 1441.
Our medical abortion aftercare booklet will give you the aftercare information and advice you need after your abortion. You can download it here.
You’ll find answers to the questions people ask most about medical abortion here. If you can’t find out the information you need, please call us on 0345 300 8090.
Although this was not a situation I ever wanted to be in, I cannot fault any of the staff from start to finish.
I really wanted to share my story as the experience was as positive as it could be given the circumstances
The nurse in charge of my care was so caring and understanding and made everything a whole lot easier for me.
