Abortion (cont.)

Medical Author:

Suzanne R Trupin, MD

Suzanne R Trupin, MD

Dr. Suzanne Trupin is a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated from Stanford University and completed her medical training at New York Medical in Valhalla, New York. She received her residency training at the University of Southern California Women's Hospital in Los Angeles, California. She is Board-Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Once your pregnancy has been confirmed, and the doctor knows how many weeks along the pregnancy is, and you have decided to end the pregnancy, the procedure offered typically reflects your stage of gestation. Early abortions can be accomplished medically or surgically, but most facilities do not have the protocols established or personnel with the technical ability to offer medical abortions (with pills). Therefore, most abortions are performed surgically.

• Women often travel far for their abortion procedure and feel comfortable completing the preoperative preparation in a short office visit. In states where laws require waiting periods, this can be done in stages.
• The assessment process involves only a targeted history, physical examination, laboratory work, and ultrasound (including dating of the pregnancy, if indicated) followed by a counseling session.
• Second-trimester abortion preparation is more difficult. Preparing the cervix in less than 24 hours is almost impossible, but the basic assessment process is identical.
• Ultrasound examinations may be used to look specifically for obvious problems with the fetus.
• Some centers also offer an intra-amniotic injection of the drug digoxin, which stop heart activity in the fetus before a second-trimester abortion.

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