What You Should Know About Abortion

If you condense the subject of abortion down to its central issue, you find out it is really about a woman’s right to decide what to do with her own body. Should a woman be forced to give birth when she does not want to, or cannot, carry a pregnancy to full term? Current laws say NO, but they are being challenged in the courts routinely. In the USA today, you have the right to decide your own destiny as a woman. If you are faced with an unexpected, unplanned, or unwanted pregnancy–and, if you are considering an abortion–here are some essential facts.

Why Do Women Have Abortions?

Many of life’s decisions can be postponed for a period of time. One decision that cannot wait for long is the difficult decision about whether or not to continue a pregnancy. This decision needs to be made as soon as possible. It is helpful to talk with someone—such as your parents, a close friend, a minister or other professional counselor, in addition to your husband or boyfriend.

There are many reasons women choose to have an abortion. Some feel they are too young for all the responsibilities of parenthood. Some are not in a stable relationship and worry about being a single parent. Some cannot afford a child, or do not want their life’s goals interrupted. Some are concerned they will not be a good mother. Some pregnancies involve an unhealthy fetus, or one with lethal anomalies.

No one has the right to judge your reason(s) for having an abortion. If you choose to terminate a pregnancy, an abortion can be safely performed in our office up to 22 weeks after your last period.

What is an Abortion?

Abortion is the surgical or medical termination (ending) of a pregnancy. Dr. Herbert Hodes and Dr. Traci Nauser perform two similar surgical procedures for pregnancy termination in our office.

First Trimester Pregnancy:

A woman is considered to be in the first trimester of pregnancy if less than 13-14 weeks have passed since her last menstrual period. First trimester abortion is called a “vacuum aspiration” or suction curettage (“D&C”). This extremely safe procedure is the most common one performed in our office. First, the cervix is numbed with a local anesthetic. The doctor gradually widens (dilates) the cervix by inserting narrow, tapered rods. A small tube (cannula) is inserted into the uterus, and connected by tubing to a suction machine. The uterine contents are suctioned through the tube. Lastly, the doctor carefully checks the walls of the uterus to be sure no tissue remains. The entire procedure takes only a minute or so. Women have discomfort like menstrual cramps during the procedure, and sometimes for an hour or so afterward.

Second Trimester Pregnancy:

Less than 5% of abortions in the United States are performed between 15-22 weeks of pregnancy. Most of these are performed using dilation and evacuation (“D & E”), which is the procedure used in our office.

The D&E procedure requires much more skill on the part of the surgeon, and is an extension of the suction method just described. To perform this, the doctor uses suction as in first-trimester procedures, but also must use forceps to remove tissue too large to pass through the suction tubing. The cervix must be dilated wider than in the vacuum aspiration, so it is often necessary to use the medication Misoprostol, or laminaria to dilate the cervix. Laminaria are rods made of sterile seaweed or a plastic polymer that gradually dilate the cervix over a period of several hours. The D&E procedure takes from 3 to 5 minutes; and the woman may be given intravenous medication in addition to local anesthetic, to lessen discomfort and to produce amnesia during the procedure.

Your Experience in our Office:

We want you to be physically and emotionally comfortable. We have structured your time with us to provide all the medical and psychological attention you will need. Your visit with us takes about an hour, and will include:

Testing: We will do a sonogram to accurately determine the length of your pregnancy. Dr. Hodes or Dr. Nauser will then talk with you about the procedure, and perform a brief physical examination.

The procedure itself: The doctor will give you a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. The vacuum aspiration “D&C” procedure takes a minute or so, a “D&E” takes 3 to 5 minutes.

Recovery: After the procedure, you will rest in the procedure room. You will receive written Abortion Aftercare Instruction, and will be given take-home medications at no additional charge.

Follow-Up: It is important to have a follow-up exam by one of our practitioners in 1 to 4 weeks after your procedure. There is a charge for this visit.

Is Abortion Safe?

Abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures. But abortion has not always been so safe. Before abortion was legalized women had serious complications (and some died) after trying to induce abortions themselves; or by going to untrained practitioners who operated in unsafe conditions. Since 1973, women have benefited from advances in medical and surgical technology, and greater access to safe, high quality services–such as those performed in our office.

When You Need Our Help

You will find our practitioners to be very compassionate, and have consistently fought for a woman’s Right to Choose her own destiny. Women of all ages feel very comfortable in their care. Both doctors are members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the National Abortion Federation; and all three are members many other professional societies.

Information on Abortion Procedures Informed Consent

According to Kansas state law, at least 24 hours prior to performing an abortion procedure patients must receive information on a variety of topics related to having an abortion. This includes:

• The name of the physician who will perform the abortion (Dr. Herbert Hodes or Dr. Traci Nauser).
• A description of the proposed abortion method.
• Description of the risks related to the proposed abortion method.
• A handbook titled, If You Are Pregnant.
• Directory titled, If You Are Pregnant: Directory of Available Services.
• The probable gestational age of the fetus at the time the abortion is to be performed.
• The probable anatomical and physiological characteristics of the fetus at the time the abortion is to be performed.
• The medical risks associated with carrying a fetus to term.
• Any need for Anti-Rh immune globulin therapy.

Notice

It is against the law for anyone, regardless of their relationship to you, to force you to have an abortion. By law, we cannot perform an abortion on you unless we have your freely given and voluntary consent. It is against the law to perform an abortion on you against your will. You have the right to contact any local or state law enforcement agency to receive protection from any actual or threatened physical abuse or violence. You have the right to change your mind at any time prior to the actual abortion and request that the abortion procedure cease.