What is it like to have an abortion in your country?
Hello readers! Let us begin this post with a simple question. And we would like you to answer in the comment section below.
Which country are you living in?
Just answer this question so that we can come up with additional information for more readers from your country. You may choose to answer or not the following questions. But it is important that you find their answers.
Well, if it is for the title of this post, then probably you want to know what is it like to have an abortion. It is quite possible that you are seeking an abortion for the first time. And it is also very normal to be anxious about the same.
You may be having several concerns in your mind like:
Is it right to have an abortion?
Do I even have an option for abortion as an unmarried girl?
Where do I go for a safe abortion?
Is abortion even legal?
What to do and how to deal with an unwanted pregnancy?
Is unwanted pregnancy the end of my professional life?
Is abortion painful?
Will I be able to have children in future?
Can I die from an abortion?
How can I keep my abortion confidential?
So, readers, welcome onboard! Stay tuned to know your answers.
But before that, please relax and calm down. We are here to help you understand what an abortion is like.
Most abortions are safe when performed by registered medical practitioners who are highly qualified and have received training for the same. So, you are safe. But you must seek a safe abortion. Many women have been opting for unsafe abortions and risking their lives and health.
And that’s just what you do not have to do!
Abortion rules and regulations:
Abortion is an induced miscarriage to terminate an unwanted pregnancy that has not attained a viable age. But abortions are seen through different windows in different countries. Each country decides its own rules for abortions just like all other laws and regulations.
Some countries may have very liberal abortion rules whereas others may have them otherwise. If you speak of Gulf countries, abortions are illegal. And not only illegal but also punishable. For unmarried girls, the punishment is further grave. They are punished both for getting pregnant out of wedlock and next for seeking an abortion.
Although laws of different countries cannot be changed. However, safe abortions can be obtained by travelling to countries where abortions are legal. But do all countries permit legal abortions for women coming from different countries? Just like abortion rules, this may also vary.
Abortions in different countries in the Middle East:
Are you living in the UAE and trying to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy by buying abortion pills online?
If yes, then your attempt can land you in jail because abortion in UAE is illegal. Never forget that this unsafe attempt of yours can put your health and life at risk.
And if you are looking forward to buying abortion pills in Kuwait, then also, the results will be quite similar. And same can be held true for abortion pills in Qatar as well as abortion pills in Oman. Even if you are seeking abortion pills in Bahrain, you will have fine imposition and can even be imprisoned. Besides the legal punishments, your life and health are at risk.
Some damages are even irreversible and can never be repaired. Then, there won’t be any use in crying over a botched-up abortion.
Furthermore, you can be a victim of the stigma associated. Things that you may be trying to hide with an unsafe abortion may be revealed publicly. If you are jailed, your professional and personal life may come to a still. If you are unmarried, you may be trying to hide your relationship. A botched up abortion or being caught for an abortion or becoming a victim of an unsafe abortion can expose your personal things.
So, always consider your safe abortion options before you attempt an unsafe one. And the best thing is that you do have safe abortion options if you are ready to look ahead into it.
Abortion in India:
India that ranks second in the population index has been trying to control the population through birth control measures. However, when they fail, the country becomes liberal in providing legal abortions. And what makes it a piece of good news for women living in countries where abortions are illegal is that abortion in India can be availed of by foreigners and ex-pats also.
Legal things to know about abortion in India:
Who can get an abortion in India?
Abortion in India is available to all girls and women, married or unmarried in the following events:
- When the pregnancy has resulted from contraceptive failure.
- Sexual assault is behind the pregnancy.
- Pregnancy termination is essential to save the girl/woman’s life and/or health.
- Fetal deformities have been detected during prenatal monitoring.
You need not be married for abortion in India. It can be obtained by any woman or girl. You may also choose to keep your pregnancy and abortion status up to yourself. And you know why? This is because you may choose not to involve your parents or partner if you are an adult.
In India, any woman above 18 years of age is considered an adult.
But do not forget that for the safety of the woman’s life, abortions in India are legally allowed for up to 20 weeks. A safe abortion up to 20 weeks can be obtained for normal circumstances. And in special cases like fetal deformities, abortion may be allowed up to 24 weeks.
Many rape survivors and other women have availed legal and safe abortions in India even beyond this period of 24 weeks.
The truth is that abortion complications increase with an increase in gestation length. And hence to protect the health and life of women, abortions are legally allowed up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Now, what a safe abortion looks like.
Safe abortion procedures:
Safe abortion protects the woman’s health, life and privacy. As per the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are three safe abortion methods for terminating normal or intrauterine pregnancies. These are:
Each method has its own specifications. Let’s learn about each abortion method.
Safe, legal and confidential abortion in India
The medical abortion: What to expect?
Medical abortion refers to pregnancy termination with the help of safe abortion pills. This is the abortion procedure used to terminate very early intrauterine pregnancies, the ones that have not exceeded beyond 6-8 weeks.
The procedure:
The two pills, Mifepristone and Misoprostol are approved as safe abortion pills. Mifepristone, the first abortion pill stops the growth of the embryo. It is an anti-progestin and hence blocks the production and action of the hormone, Progesterone which is essential for the growth and development of the fetus. It is secreted in large amounts in a pregnant woman’s body. The fetus stops developing in its absence.
Mifepristone is administered either orally or vaginally on the first appointment. Then, the patient’s body starts preparing for the abortion.
Then, after 24-36 hours, as the doctor may seem fit for a specific patient, the second pill, Misoprostol is administered. It may also be administered either orally or vaginally. It can also be given to the patient with directions on how to take it at home.
This medicine will bring out contractions in the uterus. Uterine contractions help in the expulsion of the embryo and other gestation products. The abdominal contractions may be accompanied by pain that can range from mild to severe. The pregnancy may get evacuated as vaginal bleeding. You can expect it to be like a heavy period.
In most cases, the abortion gets completed and the bleeding stops by a week. However, if the bleeding persists beyond 10 days, you may need a follow-up. It is to check whether the abortion was completed or it is a situation of an incomplete abortion. Incomplete abortion can happen with any woman as abortion pills are not more than 98% efficient.
If it is an incomplete abortion, you may need to get it completed surgically.
Things to remember with a medical abortion:
- You may need more than a single appointment for complete abortion with abortion pills. If you are ready for that, you can proceed to visit a gynecologist. If the doctor seems fit for your case like the pregnancy is intrauterine, less than 8 weeks and you are not suffering from any medical condition or taking any contraindicated medicines, then the doctor may prescribe you this abortion method.
- This method of abortion is associated with abdominal cramps, pain and bleeding.
- You may need a surgical abortion in case of incomplete abortion.
- Always, get your length and location of pregnancy tested before taking abortion pills to rule out the probability of an ectopic pregnancy.
- You need to wait for the abortion to be completed for up to 5-7 days. In the meanwhile, discomfort and fatigue can accompany you. And you may need a break from your work. So, if you are ready for this, your choice of medical abortion shall be respected.
Risks with medical abortion:
Most medical abortions are safe if all precautions are taken. However, abortion with pills carries multiple risks like that of:
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Heavy bleeding leading to syncope
- Incomplete abortion
- Severe pain
- Infections
If the right diagnosis is made and the patient’s medical condition is properly evaluated before prescribing abortion pills, these risks can be prevented. Even abortion pills dosage and method of administration vary from woman to woman and carries similar risks.
Vacuum Aspiration or the suction method of abortion: What to expect?
Suction abortion is a safe abortion method prescribed to terminate intrauterine pregnancies of the first trimester. The first trimester means the first three months or the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.
The procedure:
Suction abortion is a slightly invasive procedure. The embryo and gestation products are sucked from the uterine cavity during the procedure.
A small thin disposable tube called a vacurette is inserted inside the womb through the vaginal route. A collection bottle is attached with an aspirator on the other end.
The doctor turns on the aspirator to create suction when the tube is in place inside the womb. Suction sucks the embryo and collects it in the bottle. The doctor may move the tube within the cavity to suck all the other gestation products.
Alongside, the collectibles of the bottle are evaluated. The aspirator is turned off once all the gestation products get collected. Then, the vacurettte is gently removed. This process takes nearly 3-5 minutes.
If abortion does not get completed through suction, then the remnants may be scooped out gently. It may take another 3-5 minutes and the entire procedure may be completed in less than 10 minutes.
The procedure is performed under anesthesia to make it painless and comfortable. As an advice, always check for the availability of an anesthetist at the hospital before making an appointment.
All hospitals may not offer painless suction abortions. Even all healthcare providers are not trained to perform these abortions. Therefore, check if the hospital is a registered abortion clinic.
Some hospitals like American Hospital Bangalore (AHB) offer painless, safe, single-day, single-appointment and confidential suction abortions.
Risks with suction abortion:
Suction abortions are mostly safe when performed by well qualified, trained and experienced doctors. However, it carries some preventable risks. These include:
- Internal injury
- Hemorrhage
- Infections
- Injury to reproductive organs affecting future pregnancies
All these are the risks with unsafe abortions. However, they are preventable if all the WHO guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are followed for each abortion procedure.
Surgical abortion: What to expect?
Surgical abortions are the safe abortion methods prescribed to terminate late-stage pregnancies. In India, it can be obtained after 12 weeks through 20-weeks.
The procedure:
Surgical abortion is known as the Dilatation and Evacuation (D&E) abortion. Here, Dilatation means the cervix is dilated and Evacuation means removal of embryo and all other gestation products.
One important thing for you to know is that this procedure may or may not be available as a single appointment or a single-day procedure. At some abortion hospitals, the patient is admitted overnight. Some cervix dilatants are inserted intravaginally and left to work overnight. The abortion is performed the following morning.
But technology has advanced and same-day single-appointment surgical abortions are also available at some esteemed hospitals. If you are considering abortion in India, you can obtain single-day, single-appointment, painless, gentle care, safe and confidential abortions at American Hospital Bangalore (AHB).
Surgical or D&E abortion is performed under anesthesia. The cervix is dilated. Then, slender and sterile medical tools are inserted through the vaginal opening. The uterine lining is spooned and the products scraped are scooped out. This way, all gestation products and embryo are removed by gently removing them out through vaginal opening. The doctor examines all the collected products to check if the abortion is completed.
When performed by qualified, trained and experienced registered medical practitioners, this procedure is safe and nearly 100% efficient.
The entire procedure takes nearly less than 30 minutes to be completed. The patient can get discharged the same day after an hour or so.
Risks with surgical abortion:
Surgical abortions are mostly safe when performed by well qualified, trained and experienced doctors. However, it carries some preventable risks. These include:
- Internal injury
- Hemorrhage
- Infections
- Injury to reproductive organs affecting future pregnancies
All these risks are associated with unsafe abortions. However, they are preventable.
Abortions at American Hospital Bangalore (AHB): What to expect?
American Hospital Bangalore is a boutique hospital that specializes in personalized abortion services. The hospital is equipped to provide each woman with Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC). The care starts with pre-abortion consultation and lasts through final recovery post-abortion.
You can call the hospital’s helpline number and schedule an appointment. When coming from a foreign country, you can also avail yourself of special packages. A coordinator may be assigned to you to guide you through your entire abortion journey.
All your travel arrangements, VISA clearance, abortion procedure, stay in a nearby hotel and return flight shall be scheduled as early as possible. You can obtain a hassle-free abortion and return to your normal life happily.
AHB helps women move on in their lives with the confidence of a healthy abortion that has no long-term complications or side effects.
Medical abortion at AHB:
Medical abortion at AHB may be prescribed to you if:
- You are less than 6-8 weeks pregnant.
- Your pregnancy is intrauterine.
- You are aware that the abortion will take place in the comfort of your hotel room or wherever you are staying.
- Also, you are aware of the fact that this method of abortion involves bleeding and pain. Pain management medicines may be prescribed to you. But you should be able to seek medical assistance in case of any emergency.
- You understand that you may need to stay in India for at least 3-4 days because the abortion will take place most likely on the third day. And you may also need to follow up to ensure a complete abortion which may take up to a week until the bleeding stops.
- And you understand that abortion pills are not 100% efficient which means that there are chances of incomplete abortion. In such a case, you may be ready to obtain a surgical abortion to complete the abortion procedure before you return to your country.
Since most women travelling to India for an abortion want a short abortion trip, they go ahead for suction abortions even if they are less than 8 weeks pregnant.
Suction abortion at AHB:
Vacuum aspiration method may be prescribed to you if:
- Your pregnancy is less than 12 weeks and it is intrauterine.
- You need a painless and gentle care abortion that gets completed in a single appointment.
- You may want to get discharged the same day. After the abortion procedure, you may get discharged within an hour. A cab can be arranged for you to take you to your hotel. Then, you may rest overnight and can return to your country the following day.
- You want the confidence of a completed abortion within a single appointment.
- Suction abortion is nearly 100% efficient. The hospital doctors are highly qualified and experienced. The nurses have received their training internationally. And the hospital follows all the international US standards of abortion care and personalized abortion care to each patient.
Surgical abortion at AHB:
Surgical abortion may be prescribed to you if:
- Your pregnancy has exceeded 12 weeks but is less than 20 weeks and it is intrauterine.
- You need a painless and gentle care abortion that is a single appointment.
- You may want to get discharged the same day. After the abortion procedure, you may get discharged within an hour. A cab can be arranged for you to take you to your hotel. Then, you may rest overnight and can return to your country the following day.
- You want the confidence of a completed abortion within a single appointment.
- Surgical abortion is nearly 100% efficient. The hospital doctors are highly qualified and experienced. The nurses have received their training internationally. And the hospital follows all the international US standards of abortion care and personalized abortion care to each patient.
Ectopic pregnancy removal at AHB:
In events where the patient has been diagnosed with extrauterine or an ectopic pregnancy, it has to be removed immediately. The doctors at AHB make sure that the best method is prescribed to each patient. And therefore, they make sure that the pregnancy length and location are ascertained before prescribing the method of abortion.
Most of the pregnancies are intrauterine. However, chances of occurrence of ectopic pregnancy cannot be excluded. If the diagnosis is done early, the pregnancy may be terminated medically using a different set of medicines. They may either be given orally or through intravenous injection.
After the medicine administration, the patient is discharged. But she may need a follow-up after 2-3 days to check for the complete treatment. Early diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy may save the woman’s life and even fertility.
However, in some cases, surgical removal may be needed. In a case of tubal pregnancy, a fallopian tube and the attached ovary may be removed. So, this can impair future fertility and reduce it to half. But the life is saved. Also, the woman may conceive in future with the help of the second tube.
In case an ectopic pregnancy remains undetected, it may even rupture leading to internal bleeding and hemorrhage. Medical attention is needed with immediate effect. An unattended woman may even die. This is why ectopic pregnancy detection and removal is needed as the earliest.
At AHB, all the procedures are done with the highest standards to keep the patient’s health, life and privacy safe. No personal queries are asked. All patient details are kept confidential and by no means revealed to anyone.
Feel free to contact the AHB helpline number for a safe, quick, comfortable abortion experience.
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Quick links:
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