Why should you travel from Goa to Bangalore for an abortion

Lying on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent is a small emerald land, Goa. Speak of its pristine beaches, beauty-bound serene sceneries, contrasting landscapes, fishing villages and whatnot. But can you turn a blind eye when it comes to women reproductive choices in Goa?

You are a lucky woman if you want to have an abortion in India because of the liberal abortion rules. This post intends to help women in Goa look towards abortion in Bangalore as a better option. Eventually, you’ll know about the best abortion hospital in India where you can obtain a safe, legal and confidential abortion.

Abortion in Goa

Abortion clinic in Goa

Unwanted pregnancy in Goa and the choices:

Women have been getting pregnant with wanted as well as unwanted pregnancies. While wanted pregnancies are thoughtfully taken ahead, what about unwanted pregnancies? Do they have a similar fate?

Women carrying unwanted pregnancies have most likely three choices:

  1. Termination of the pregnancy or abortion.
  2. Continue with the pregnancy and give the child for adoption.
  3. Continue with the pregnancy and raise the child whether as a couple or as a single mother.

Continuing with the pregnancy should be the woman’s and/or the couple’s choice. It is the woman who’ll have to go through childbearing and then raising too. However, when the woman decides not to proceed with the pregnancy, she often faces an irrational attitude. It may be seen not just in society but also in the medical fraternity.

Abortion in Goa for an unwanted pregnancy as a choice:

Many a time, opting out of unwanted pregnancies is more like a necessity rather than a choice. The stigma associated with abortions is in the collective consciousness of many Indian families. And it is massive when speaking of unmarried girls where pregnancies result from premarital sex.

What to do in such situations?

Abortion is the preference but where and how to obtain a safe, legal and confidential abortion?

Do you know the sex ratio of Goa has been declining? And one of the contributing reasons is women migration to other places like Bangalore?

Women in Goa have voiced major issues like access to safe abortions, reproductive tract infections, poor sex education, lack of focus on traditional health systems and more.

Women tend to travel to other places for safe abortions because of a lack of medical facilities. Another big reason is conservative thoughts regarding abortions amongst the healthcare providers in the Goan society.

Even where women are married, people in Goa often practice small family norms. But contraceptive failure may end up in unwanted pregnancies. However, they seek safe abortion options which are very much limited. And hence they travel for personalized abortion care to Bangalore.

Let us now find out answers to various queries so that you may be able to decide on making the best abortion decision.

Who can have an abortion in Goa, India?

Abortions in India have been legal for the past five decades. Earlier in 1971, the MTP Act was introduced to help women have access to safe abortion services. Over years, there have been many signs of progress in the law like advancing the ceiling gestation age for abortions, abortion provider base expansion and more.

According to the abortion rules of India, you can have an abortion in Goa in any of the following events:

  • Pregnancy is unwanted, unplanned and has resulted from contraceptive failure.
  • Rape/sexual assault/incest has resulted in an unwanted pregnancy.
  • To protect your physical and/or mental health and life in case pregnancy continuation is a threat to the same.
  • If fetal anomalies have been detected and the child may be born with disabilities or may not survive.

In any of the aforementioned events, you may obtain an abortion in India. Goa is home to many people from other countries as well. So, if you too are seeking an abortion in India, you can have one irrespective of your nationality. Indian abortion law treats all women alike.

Till when can you have an abortion in Goa, India?

An unwanted pregnancy may come to any woman, rich or poor, a young teenager or a middle-aged woman. And it can turn your life upside down since carefully laid plans in the mind are replaced by thoughts of fear, anguish and despair.

However, you need to gather yourself and display the façade of strength.

It is highly important for you to have a pregnancy test upon missing your period. Many women keep waiting for the period thinking that they have an irregular period. The thought of a delayed period will not stop the gestation period from increasing.

Since the method of abortion depends on the pregnancy length, you may not want to have an abortion just at the dead-end. Moreover, an abortion involves decision making, appointment booking and then availing one, all that should be done within the permissible gestation period.

Abortion in India is legal for up to 20 weeks in normal cases. However, in special circumstances, abortion may be allowed for up to 24 weeks.

Taking the pregnancy test at home:

If you have missed your period, you should take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. You can avail a home pregnancy test kit easily from any pharmacy store or even online.

Just follow the instructions on the pack and have it done. Better take the pregnancy test with the sample of morning first-urine. Collect your urine sample in a clean container.

The kit comprises a small, slender tube-like pipette. Collect a few drops in it from the container. Pour them in the small dish from the kit where S may be written. ‘S’ stands for sample.

Now, wait for 5-10 minutes. Within this time, you may see either one or two dark pink lines appearing on that dish. One will have the mark ‘C’ for Control and the other will be marked as ‘T’ for the test.

In case you have one bold pink line for C and the other one with T absolutely absent or very feeble, you may not be pregnant. You can expect to have your period in the next upcoming days. However, if you do not get your period in the next two days, you may buy another UPT kit and repeat the test.

In case you have two bold pink lines (both for T and C), then you are pregnant.

In rare cases, the kit may be faulty where none of the lines shows up boldly. You should repeat the test with another kit for such cases.

Why should you have a transvaginal ultrasound at the earliest?

Now that you are pregnant, do not delay in availing of an ultrasound. It is essential for determining the length and location of the pregnancy. However, any radio-diagnostic lab may not conduct this test without the doctor’s prescription.

In case you are married, getting such a prescription may not be very bothersome for you. But unmarried girls may be reluctant in visiting a nearby lab due to stigma and the fear of things being known in the family or neighboring society.

If you have any problem in availing of the same, you may contact the American Hospital Bangalore (AHB). You can schedule an appointment where you may not only be checked up for the length and location of the pregnancy but can also have a safe and confidential abortion. This may not be an available option at an abortion clinic in Goa near you.

The length of the pregnancy will help the doctor prescribe the best abortion method for you. And the location of pregnancy is essential to rule out the risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancies may even be fatal and immediate medical aid should be provided to the woman in such cases.

Do not worry if your ectopic pregnancy has been detected on time. AHB doctors are highly qualified and experienced and you may avail of ectopic pregnancy removal there with ease and comfort.

Why should you not opt for a self-abortion in Goa?

Whether you are married or unmarried and are looking forward to having an abortion, it is better to look into safe abortion options. We understand abortion is a sensitive issue and comes to women with a physical, emotional and psychological mix and match of thoughts.

Shame and disgrace attached to being an unwed mother are too intense and immense to allow the girl to settle for anything less than an abortion.

But it does not mean that you should opt for a bedroom or a Do It Yourself (DIY) abortion. The risks with abortions are too high when performed without safety considerations. While buying abortion pills in Goa to pop them in may seem the earliest choice, it only lands women with ineffective abortion procedures.

The consequences of unsafe abortions can weigh very heavily from a simple infection to a complicated one; from a small injury to hemorrhage, from partial to complete loss of fertility and reproductive health and even death. Do you know that unsafe abortions in India contribute heavily to maternal morbidity and mortality?

As it is important for you to know the risks with abortion, equally important is to know that all abortion risks are preventable.

Getting a safe abortion can be easy and hassle-free. So, if you have discovered that you are carrying an unwanted pregnancy, do not panic unless you have considered your safe abortion options.

What are Safe abortions?

Safe abortions are the ones that are performed following the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). The clinical recommendations have been laid down into safe abortion practices. Not only the methods of abortion but also the technical expertise and experience required for performing them has been mentioned.

Additionally, it contains the prescribed medicines and pieces of medical equipment to be used for abortion procedures. The legal requirements may vary from country to country and from region to region. However, the WHO recommendations enable healthcare providers across the world in making evidence-based decisions. They help women have access to Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC).

Safe abortions are performed at certified and registered abortion clinics and/or hospitals. Only qualified and trained doctors should perform abortions considering the safety of the patient.

The patient’s safety includes protection and prevention of her:

  • Physical and mental health
  • Choices and decisions
  • Human rights, and
  • Privacy

Furthermore, how a patient should be treated both medically and psychologically are also included. Every patient should have access to correct information in her understandable language and form.

The abortion providers are required to be sensitive towards the needs and perspectives of the patients regardless of any discriminating factor. However, it has been seen that the abortion patients in Goa and many other cities are discriminated against and looked down on for seeking abortions.

To avoid this discriminating behavior, many women resort to unsafe abortions. Let us now have a look at their safe abortion in Bangalore options. Also, this may guide women into the process of obtaining safe abortions in a comfortable manner.

Travelling to Bangalore for a safe, legal and confidential abortion:

Ease of access:

Bangalore is a metropolitan city that is located at a distance of 558 km by road while the aerial distance is nearly 455 km. And one can easily travel to and from both the cities by road, railway or by a short flight.

Minimum stigma:

Bangalore being a bigger city and having people from diverse professional backgrounds is very progressive. Due to this people do not like to and don’t even have time to peek into other people lives. This makes the stigma with abortions very small that may be seen only in rural parts. But when speaking of urban areas of Bangalore and hospitals there, abortion status is speckless.

Healthcare facilities:

Moreover, it is one of the favorite medical destinations for people from different parts of the world. Now, this makes the city better equipped with healthcare facilities. And the doctors and other medical staff are also highly educated, well-trained and experienced in their respective domains.

Above in the post, we mentioned a lack of focus on traditional health systems in Goa. This is an excerpt taken from the report on Goa by the National Commission of Women.

(Reference: http://ncwapps.nic.in/pdfReports/Gender_Profile_Goa.pdf)

Besides, there are limited hospitals and one may not want to move into a crowded place for a procedure that is already looked down on with stigma.

Hence, Bangalore may be a better option where stigma is off the bay and healthcare systems unparalleled.

But even in Bangalore, not all MTP centres are the same. There may be huge variation according to the abortion teams and other facilities for the patients’ comfort. And you need to pick the best abortion clinic in Bangalore that best suits your requirements.

Privacy:

Privacy is one of the most important requisites for women seeking abortion in Goa. And hence visiting an abortion clinic nearby may not be their first or even the best choice. Even if you visit a private abortion clinic in Goa, you cannot be sure of privacy assurance.

You may have a neighbor working there as a doctor or any other staff member. And you cannot compromise losing your confidentiality with an acquaintance. It may therefore be best to visit another hospital in a different city. Then, the probability of meeting an acquaintance may be nearly zero.

And when you visit another city, it may be best for you to visit the abortion clinic that is best in healthcare as well as can provide a private abortion as an easy single-day procedure.

Not all hospitals in Bangalore offer single day abortion procedures. They may require overnight hospitalization. There may be a waiting period. There may be general wards and privacy is something that you may not want to get hurt.

Let’s find out why women from Goa, Mangalore, Chennai, Trivandrum, Thrissur and other cities travel to AHB for abortions. Not only does the hospital have Indian patients, but it also caters to many foreign women, NRIs and ex-pats living in the Middle East and other countries. They travel all the way to AHB for legal, safe, private, comfortable, single-day, hassle-free Gentle Care abortions.

Here, you go!

Visiting American Hospital Bangalore (AHB) for a safe, legal and confidential abortion:

Scheduling the appointment may be your first move:

If you plan to obtain an abortion in Bangalore rather than in Goa, it may be better to schedule your appointment well on time.

After you have made your appointment, the doctor may ask you for your last menstrual period (LMP) and other small but important details. These may be asked to help you understand your most likely abortion options so that you may plan your travel schedule accordingly.

Also, you may be guided into all the necessary requirements that you may need to have for an abortion. These may include a document for age proof, etc. so that you can obtain an abortion only with your consent.

Travel and stay options:

According to your preference, you may choose to travel to Bangalore from Goa either by a short flight or road or by train. You may check out the flight availability and tickets in accordance with your appointment at Make my trip.

Booking a bus or availing train tickets is also very easy. Private cabs also connect the two cities very nicely and you may hire one if you want the comfort like that of a personal car.

Or, the personal vehicle is always an open option. In such a case, it may be better you have someone to drive you back after the abortion. You may bring your partner or a friend if you feel comfortable. Even if you wish to travel alone, AHB will have a nurse dedicated to your care throughout your stay at the hospital. So, bringing a companion as a choice is absolutely personal.

Also, have a hotel or a homestay booked for the same day to rest overnight after the abortion. You may travel back the next day and have your return tickets booked accordingly if you avail of a surgical abortion.

In the case of abortion with pills or medical abortion, you may need to stay for longer if you want to return after abortion completion. It may take nearly 3 days for abortion with pills. And since bleeding will be there, you may not want to be travelling during that. You need to be at home or hotel in that situation.

This is why many women opt for single-day abortion procedures so that they can return with a successful abortion. However, the doctors at AHB prescribe the best abortion method as per individual patient needs.

Abortion consultation and procedures at AHB:

When you arrive by appointment, you may not have to wait. The doctor will be expecting you and will ask you to have some clinical diagnostic tests and ultrasound. These are essential to rule out abortion complications and to prescribe the best abortion method after checking your exact pregnancy length and location.

The medical abortion method:

Medical abortion or the abortion pill method is available for terminating pregnancies that are less than 6-8 weeks. Also, it is the method adopted for intrauterine or normal pregnancies where the embryo is located in the uterine cavity.

The doctor may give you the abortion pills to be taken orally or may administer them intravaginally. For the second abortion pill, you may either have to come after 36-48 hours or the doctor may hand them to you for self-administration. You will be guided on when to take the pills and what to expect next.

This method involves:

  • More than one appointment.
  • Pain may need management since it may range from moderate to severe.
  • Moderate to heavy bleeding.
  • You may need to wait for up to a week for the abortion to be completed. And if you continue to bleed or have pain beyond that, it may be a case of incomplete abortion. Incomplete abortions are quite common if you self-administer abortion pills or visit an unprofessional. However, at AHB, medical abortion may be 96%-98% efficient. But women usually prefer nearly 100% single-day abortion procedures coming ahead.

The Surgical abortion method:

Two methods fall in this category and maybe opted for based on your pregnancy length.

  1. Suction abortion or the vacuum aspiration method of abortion
  2. Dilatation and Evacuation (D&E) method of abortion

Suction abortion:

It may be prescribed for you in case your pregnancy is less than 12 weeks. Many women who are earlier than 8 weeks also prefer this method at AHB due to the many benefits suction abortion has over medical abortion.

At AHB, this method is somewhat like:

  • Painless abortion.
  • A short procedure not lasting more than 3-10 minutes.
  • Same-day discharge
  • Zero to minimum bleeding that usually subsides within 2-3 days.
  • Nearly 100% efficient procedure.
  • No overnight hospitalization needed

D&E abortion:

This method is employed for terminating pregnancies beyond 12 weeks but less than the legally permissible age of 20 weeks.

At AHB, this method is somewhat like:

  • Painless abortion.
  • A short procedure not lasting more than 30 minutes.
  • Same-day discharge
  • Zero to minimum bleeding that usually subsides within 2-3 days.
  • Nearly 100% efficient procedure.
  • No overnight hospitalization needed

Benefits of visiting American Hospital Bangalore for abortion in Bangalore over abortion in Goa:

  • Best abortion hospital that is internationally recognized for safe abortion procedures.
  • Certified and registered abortion clinic
  • Best abortion team including highly qualified and experienced doctors, extensively trained nurses and other assisting staff.
  • International standards of abortion care are followed.
  • Gentle care abortion procedures
  • Nearly 100% efficient abortions
  • Personalized care
  • Private one-to-one consultation
  • Private room
  • Dedicated nurses
  • No personal questions were asked and the non-judgmental behavior of the entire team.
  • Confidential abortion and no personal details of any patient disclosed.
  • The hospital treats all the patients alike, whether married or unmarried.
  • Calm and relaxing atmosphere
  • Comfortable stay from the first visit to final discharge
  • Pre-abortion through post-abortion care, and many more…

Feel free to schedule an appointment at the American Hospital Bangalore for a safe, legal and confidential abortion.

Related posts:

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  2. Failure of contraception: Where to have a safe abortion?
  3. Cost of abortion: Medical vs Surgical methods of abortion
  4. Where to have a safe and confidential abortion in Ernakulam
  5. Post-abortion: How to cope up, heal early and live better