When you come to our clinic to terminate your pregnancy, you’ll first talk to a doctor or nurse. During that consultation, they’ll ask you about your general state of health and the reasons for your decision. They’ll also talk to you about using contraception (different ways to prevent pregnancy). An ultrasound will be done to check your stage of pregnancy.

Watch our animated film which will give you an idea of what you’ll experience.

A first trimester abortion is a suction curettage which is done to terminate a pregnancy up to approximately 10 weeks after an egg has been fertilised.
For the abortion you’ll sit in the same type of gynaecological chair that is used for a gynaecological examination. The doctor will feel your uterus. Before treatment begins, your cervix will be disinfected and you’ll be given a local anaesthetic. You can also decide to have a general anaesthetic (sedation) so that you won’t be aware of the treatment at all.
A speculum is inserted into your vagina to make your cervix visible. The doctor uses a tube to determine the length of your uterus. The cervix is dilated by inserting a tube (6-8 mm), and then the uterus is sucked out, which is why it’s called a suction curettage. The treatment takes no longer than 5-15 min. A nurse assists the doctor. He or she will keep you informed about what’s happening and what you might feel. The nurse also keeps an eye on blood loss and abdominal pain.

The pain that women experience varies a lot. Most women feel something at the end of the treatment, when the uterus starts to contract. This is similar to strong period pain, perhaps more intense. Some women have sudden cramps, while others hardly feel anything. Most women bleed just a little, or not al all, after the abortion.

You’ll rest in the recovery room after the treatment for a half an hour to an hour (or longer if you’ve had a general anaesthetic). We’ll then give you advice and information about aftercare, plus a prescription for antibiotics, and tell you what you should and shouldn’t do during the next few weeks. The doctor will check you once more, and you can leave the clinic after that.