Medical or Suction abortion method: What may be best for you
Making choices when it comes to abortion:
Our lives are a collective result of the choices we make along our journey. Our choices are reflected in our decisions. And consequences of our decisions are our responsibility. Many times, we do not have choices or we encounter things that were not part of our plans.
Getting pregnant when pregnancy is not a part of the plan is a major problem faced by women worldwide. In such situations, it is important to realize that, what has been done cannot be undone. However, what is yet to come can be controlled.
And here comes the abortion decision. Women have the right to choose to proceed or terminate an unwanted pregnancy. It is their reproductive right. Whatever choice they make is important both for their physical and mental wellbeing.
When women choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, they have to face many questions and circumstances ahead of their decision.
This post intends to help you make a wise abortion decision. Since abortions impact a woman’s health and wellbeing, she must make a well-informed abortion decision.
Abortion as a choice:
Abortion is likely your urgent need when speaking of unplanned pregnancies. And if you too are seeking to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, remember two important things:
- Do not let yourself down by any thoughts. Relax and weigh all your options to arrive at the best decision. Your decision is welcome!
- Your health and your life shall be your priority. Nothing is above your health. Make a wise decision whenever health is the concern.
It is important to make the right choices about your care.
And if you have decided to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, you should choose the best abortion care. You must have access to Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) so that you do not become a victim of abortion risks.
Your health and your life should be safe and that’s the most important thing when making an abortion decision.
Abortion Decision:
When we speak of the abortion decision, it is not just a single choice whether to have an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy or not. It is a whole bunch of decisions and they are all connected like a flowchart.
If yes, how, when, where, why and if no, again similar questions and situations are there waiting to be answered.
Seek answers before arriving at the abortion decision:
To make it easier for you, here is what all comprise of an abortion decision:
- The very first thing is, of course, the decision of whether or not to undergo an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy.
- If yes, the next is the place where to have a safe abortion. What are the available abortion options?
- In countries where abortion is illegal like in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and many other middle-East countries, what abortion options do women have? They likely travel to countries where abortion is legal for safe abortions. The ones who choose unsafe methods of abortions often put their lives at risk.
The Questions often asked:
In countries where abortion is legal like in India, women may have to choose from abortion clinics. And they may have queries and concerns like:
-
- Which are the abortion clinics near me?
- Where can I have a legal and safe abortion?
- I don’t want to tell my partner about the abortion? Can I have one without involving him?
- I am unmarried and do not wish to involve my parents. Neither do I want anyone else to know that I was pregnant or have had an abortion. Where do I go for a confidential abortion?
- Will I have to stay in the hospital for an abortion?
- What is the cost of an abortion?
- What are the methods of abortion?
- I am in the first trimester of abortion. What are my abortion options?
- Can I get an abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy?
- Is abortion painful?
- Will the doctor and nurses behave rightfully with me?
- Can I feel comfortable and open while speaking to the doctor?
- Do I need to take a rest after the abortion?
- When can I resume my routine activities after abortion?
- Can anyone know that I have had an abortion in the past?
- I am unmarried, can I have a legal abortion? Will I be discriminated against or judged for getting pregnant out of the marriage?
- Is there any abortion clinic where I can feel safe, comfortable and have a successful abortion?
All these queries become the filters in deciding the best abortion clinic.
Where to find the answers?
If any of these concerns are similar to yours, the best place to find the answers is the website of the abortion hospital where you are planning to avail an abortion. All esteemed abortion clinics are expected to provide the maximum information to help the patient make her choice.
Moreover, the website needs to have a contactable place where the patient can comfortably ask her queries, clarify her doubts. You can choose to visit the ‘Contact Us’ page of the website to get these details.
Additionally, you can check for the hospital testimonials and independent reviews on open forums like Google reviews.
Reviews and testimonials are independent opinions of people who availed of similar services before you. You can check for abortion experiences and stories of women who availed of abortion services at that hospital before you.
It will guide you in selecting the best abortion clinic that can meet your expectations. It may also help you know the best abortion method for you.
Choosing the best abortion method:
Once you have short-listed the best abortion hospital for your abortion, next comes the abortion decision. It is regarding the method of abortion. Although it is the prescribing doctor who will prescribe the best abortion method for your particular case. Still, you as a patient have a right to abortion-decision.
Abortion in India:
We are considering that you are availing of abortion in India where it is legal for many circumstances. Abortion in India can be availed up to 20 weeks of gestation in most circumstances. These include contraceptive failure, to protect the woman’s health and in case of rape/incest. And in some cases like that of fetal anomalies and others where legal help is sought, abortion in India may be available for up to 24 weeks.
Another thing regarding abortion in India is that the woman can avail of abortion only by her consent. She does not need parental or partner’s consent for an abortion if she is an adult. In India, any woman who has attained the age of 18 years is considered an adult and can avail of abortion with her consent only.
When does the woman have a choice in the method of abortion?
There are patient-specific factors that undergo in helping the doctor prescribe the best abortion method.
However, in the first trimester, most of the patients do have a choice across medical and suction methods of abortion. And here is what we are going to discuss in detail.
But, mark the words: You can expect such comprehensive abortion care and treatment only at a reputed certified abortion clinic. Do not get tempted for any unsafe method of abortion, be it for any reason, whether in hurry or to cut down the cost of the abortion.
Unsafe abortions have many risks that might be unknown to you. Moreover, they may put your health and life in danger.
The Pre-abortion counselling and consultation:
This is the first thing where the doctor takes down the medical notes of the patient. Information is taken from the patient regarding:
- her medical history
- her Last Menstrual Period (LMP)
- any medicines she is taking for anything
- any allergies she may have
- her blood group
- any co-existing medical problem she may have like hypertension, diabetes or any other.
Then, the doctor examines the patient physically. This may include a transvaginal scan to ascertain the gestational length and pregnancy location.
A point to remember: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended different methods of abortion based on gestation length.
And just like the length of the pregnancy, its location too has to be ascertained before prescribing any method of abortion.
If you didn’t know, pregnancy can sometimes be wrongfully located such as in the fallopian tube, in the cervix region or abdominal region. Such pregnancies are called ectopic pregnancies. These locations are not meant for gestation and are not capable of sustaining pregnancies. Hence, they have to be treated differently.
And ectopic pregnancies may even cause medical emergencies and may even be fatal. Therefore, they deserve immediate medical attention. And it is advised that you visit the doctor as soon as possible when you discover that you are pregnant. This is advisable both for wanted and unwanted pregnancies to rule out the cases of ectopic pregnancies and associated complications.
Clinical Investigations:
In case you have any previous medical tests, you may carry along the latest reports. These may help the doctor identify any needed information. Also, it will cut on the cost of abortion in means of clinical investigations that the doctor may ask for if he/she doesn’t have enough information before the abortion procedure.
For example, your blood group, any allergy or infection you may have, your HbA1c in case you are diabetic, etc.
Besides these tests, your vitals like blood pressure, pulse rate, body temperature will be monitored to minimize risks with abortion.
Evaluation of all these conditions is necessary to know which medical conditions may need management during and after the abortion. And also, to determine any underlying factors that may influence the abortion method.
Consultation:
Once the pre-examination, diagnosis and medical history are done, the doctor is now expected to provide you with a consultation.
This will include the best abortion method for you, the choices you may have and all the information that you may need to know before the abortion procedure. You will be furnished with information about the procedure, how long will it take, the cost of abortion and more.
If you visit a highly personalized hospital like that of American Hospital Bangalore (AHB), you can expect to receive all the information in an easy-to-understand form. The doctors and other medical staff there helps the patient throughout the abortion care from pre-abortion counselling through post-abortion care.
The patient may also feel free to ask the doctor regarding any concerns she might have.
You may ask about Painless abortion, your confidentiality, when you can recover, how many appointments you may need and when and how to contact the doctor when needed.
First-trimester abortion methods: The choices and how to choose the right?
Considering you are in the first trimester of abortion and you have been diagnosed with an intrauterine (normal) pregnancy.
You have two available methods of abortion. These are:
- The medical method of abortion or the abortion pills method
- The suction method of abortion or the Vacuum Aspiration method of abortion
Now, let’s see how you have a choice in them or do you even have one. For a better understanding, we will read between the lines for each circumstance. This may help you in recognizing which method may be better for your case-specific.
Comparison between the two methods of abortion:
Comparison between the procedures:
How is the medical method of abortion performed?
Gestation period:
This method involves the use of safe abortion pills to terminate an ongoing pregnancy that is less than 6-8 weeks.
The first pill:
Two different pills are used. The first pill, Mifepristone may be administered to the patient within the doctor’s office. It may either be given to the patient to consume orally or may even be inserted vaginally.
Mifepristone will stop the growth of the embryo by blocking its nutrition and the hormone Progesterone required for its growth.
The second pill:
The second pill is Misoprostol that is not administered along with Mifepristone but after a gap of 24-36 hours. It may also be administered orally or vaginally.
Method of administration:
The mode of administration is selected individually by reading all the cases. So, it is absolutely patient-specific and there is no definite method of administration of abortion pills. The doctor prescribes what suits best for the patient.
Since there is a long gap between the two pills, either the patient may need to schedule multiple appointments. Or she may be given the second pill to be taken at home with instructions on when and how to take them.
The patient is not admitted in this case.
Misoprostol will bring about uterine contractions and help the woman expel the embryo in the comfort of her home.
The contractions may be accompanied by abdominal cramps and pain. Pain management may also be required. And bleeding may also range from moderate to heavy.
Vaginal bleeding in case of the medical method of abortion may last up to 10-12 days. In case it does not stop by then, you may need to schedule another appointment for ascertaining whether the abortion was complete.
Incomplete abortions are the most common complications with abortion pills. This method is nearly 95%-98% effective. And no method can detect whether this patient will have an incomplete abortion or not.
Now the complication of incomplete abortions may be presented by:
- Vaginal bleeding that may range from spotting to heavy bleeding beyond 2 weeks
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
In such a case, you may need a surgical procedure to complete the abortion.
How is the Vacuum Aspiration method of abortion performed?
This method is sometimes regarded as a method of surgical abortion. But in general, it is not so invasive. It may or may not be performed under general or local anesthesia. However, for the comfort of the patient, anesthesia may be used.
Since uterine perforation is needed, the abortion must be performed only by a qualified doctor.
Gestation age:
The vacuum Aspiration method of abortion may be performed up to 12 weeks of gestation. Beyond this period, the chances of incomplete abortion may be there.
The Procedure:
A speculum is placed in the vagina. The cervix is numbed and gradually dilated. Then, a slender curette is passed into the uterine cavity. This curette or tube is attached with an aspirator, i.e., the suction device.
Either suction is created electrically or by a hand-held syringe. The suction device is attached to a collection bottle. When suction is applied, the embryo and other gestation products get collected in this bottle.
The doctor examines the bottle to check for Products of Conception. This helps in verifying the complete abortion easily unlike the medical method where the patient has to wait for the bleeding to stop or through a transvaginal scan at least a week post-abortion.
The procedure usually lasts less than 10 minutes. It is an OPD procedure and the patient can be discharged the same day. However, not all hospitals are equipped to perform same-day abortion procedures.
Comparison between the gestation length for two methods of abortion:
The medical method of abortion may be used for terminating very early pregnancies, i.e., less than 6-8 weeks. Whereas, the VA abortion method is available to be used for up to 12 weeks of gestation.
Comparison between the efficiency of the two methods:
While the medical method of abortion is 95%-98% effective, the VA method of abortion is nearly 100% efficient. But in both cases, the efficiency depends on the quality of medicines used and the quality of abortion performed.
When performed by quacks or unprofessional people, the efficiency of the procedure may not be as expected. Besides, there may be multiple risks with unsafe abortions. Only a well-qualified and experienced doctor can prescribe the best method of abortion for a patient. And can also perform the abortion procedure both safely and efficiently.
The risk of incomplete abortion is higher with abortion pills and hence, many women prefer the VA method of abortion. Moreover, they also look into the fact that in case of an incomplete abortion, they may again opt for surgical abortion.
Comparison between the duration of abortion with the two methods:
As discussed above, with the medical method of abortion, you may need to visit the hospital twice or thrice. And the abortion will take place after a couple of days from the first pill.
Whereas, Vacuum Aspiration method of procedure is a single appointment procedure. The abortion when done by an experienced abortion team is usually complete. Moreover, evaluation of the contents collected in the collection bottle helps the doctor identify whether the abortion was complete during the procedure itself.
You may not need to visit for a second appointment unless you do so for a follow-up. But yes, there are chances of incomplete abortions even with this method. So, it becomes highly significant to choose the best abortion hospital where you can be confident of successful abortion.
Comparison between the discomfort with the two methods of abortion:
The medical method of abortion is accompanied by pain and bleeding. Whereas, VA method of abortion is a short procedure and painless when performed under anesthesia.
Speaking of bleeding with both methods, the medical method works like natural miscarriage and is hence accompanied by bleeding. Many patients who chose suction abortion claim they did not bleed at all post-abortion. And some reported very little bleeding for a couple of days and have resumed resume daily activities thereafter.
With abortion pills, if the woman is working she may need off from work until the abortion is successful. But with the VA method, a woman may need only a day or two off from work. And the additional day may be required only in case she has travelled far off to avail a safe abortion.
Planning to travel to India for a safe abortion, Check out your flight options.
Planning to take a train to Bangalore for best abortion care, Check out the train schedule.
Booking a cab within the city is both easy and safe when seeking a confidential abortion in Bangalore.
Abortion in Bangalore: The best abortion hospital in India
If you are looking forward to having a safe, legal and confidential abortion in Bangalore, India, you may schedule an appointment with AHB.
The benefits of choosing AHB for your abortion may be like:
- The personalized abortion hospital provides the safest abortion procedures.
- All abortion procedures may be performed as the doctor may recommend and only with the woman’s consent.
- Privacy and discretion are guaranteed at all times.
- Besides safe abortions, the hospital admits only a single patient at a time. This helps in maintaining the complete confidentiality of the patient. This is a very much wanted factor for women in Bangalore who seek confidential abortions in a nearby clinic.
- The doctor and staff are highly qualified, internationally trained and have extensive experience of more than four decades.
- You can expect a non-judgmental attitude and professional healthcare services at AHB.
Since only a limited number of patients are admitted each day, you may also not delay. Click here to schedule your earliest appointment at AHB. Safe abortion is your choice and your reproductive right.
Make a wise choice.
Related posts:
Leave a Comment