Preparing for an abortion

Once we have decided to get an abortion and have found a suitable place for the procedure, there are some key things to consider and prepare for in advance. We might need to see a doctor and discuss abortion first, book an appointment at an abortion clinic, or arrange to travel to another country to have the procedure done. In this note, we will talk about the different options available, how to prepare for our abortion and what will happen on the day and after the procedure.

The International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion has information that includes local, national, regional and international organisations and agencies that can provide you with information and support in a number of areas, including funding. If you’re in a jurisdiction where seeking abortion support is a crime or abortion bans are in place, please reach out to your local abortion support provider, who will be able to direct you to safe options locally or nearby. Be cautious about leaving a digital or paper trail if you are in a jurisdiction where seeking abortion is a criminal offence. This guide from Electronic Frontier Foundation shares some online safety tips.

Disclaimer: This note cannot be used as a legal or medical guide. If there is any concern about symptoms or signs, or if we are unsure of what help to get c, please contact a local healthcare provider. If at any point we need to take a break from reading through, we should do so.

Assessing our options

Once we’ve decided that an abortion is the right option for us, it’s a good idea to think about all the practicalities to make sure we’re prepared. It’s important to make sure we’re booking an appointment with a reputable clinic or healthcare provider, who will respect the choices we make. When searching online we might find ‘crisis pregnancy centres’, who appear to be healthcare providers but in reality might not respect our right to end a pregnancy. There’s more information about what these centres may look like in Note 2.

The more informed we are about safe routes to abortion, the more we will be able to make the best decision for ourselves. There are two common options for abortions that we may come across: surgical and medical abortions. Usually, both can only be carried out up to a certain number of weeks into the pregnancy, so as mentioned previously, please make sure to contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible to check if the procedure can be done, and what kind it will be.

• A medical abortion: This type of abortion starts with medication provided at a clinic or centre, prescribed by a medical doctor. We are then free to go home and the abortion happens over a certain amount of time that our provider will inform us of. While this might be a comfortable option to be treated safely at home, it is typically given earlier in the pregnancy so please check with a provider for location specific details as to the exact amount of weeks into our pregnancy this procedure is allowed.

• A surgical abortion: This procedure is performed by medical doctors in a clinic or centre, with the required safety and sanitary protocols. Rest assured, this is a safe procedure when performed by experienced doctors and ensures medical attention in case of any complications. We can generally walk out of the clinic on the same day.

Considerations to prepare for:

When preparing for an abortion, there are a few things we might want to consider before attending our appointment:

• Finances. Depending on where we have the procedure, our abortion might be free, or we might have to pay for it. We should ask our healthcare or health insurance provider if we are eligible for free treatment or where to get financial support from if needed.

• How we will get there. We need to think about where the procedure will take place, and whether we can get there on our own. It might not be safe for us to drive or travel home on public transport after the appointment. Our providers should share this information and tell us what precautions we should take.

• Hospital or overnight lodging. Depending on our situation or the laws in our location, we may need to go to appointments on different days, leaving a gap between our clinic visits. We can ask our provider for this information for us to plan and book off the right amount of time.

• What to bring with us. The healthcare provider should explain exactly what we need to bring, but it could include things like emergency medication, our glasses or contact lenses, comfortable underwear, sanitary pads and any medical letters from our doctor.

• Relaxation plan. Going to the clinic may feel overwhelming, so it is helpful to think about things that might relax us, such as reading our favorite book, watching videos on our phones, or listening to music. In some clinics, we can ask for something to be played, or we can listen to music with headphones during the procedure. Studies show that listening to music has a positive psychological and physiological response in stressful situations.

• Protesters. At some clinics, there might be people protesting. They may have posters and images, shout things at us as we enter the clinic, and try to engage us in conversation. This can be really hard to deal with, so it’s important for us to be prepared to ignore them and just walk past. If we are particularly nervous about this, it might be helpful to ask for someone to escort us into the clinic.

• Volunteers for support. In some countries, there are groups of volunteers who will escort you to the clinic and ensure that protestors won’t harass you. There may also be some ‘Buffer Zones’ which do not allow protestors to come close to the clinics.

Confiding in someone, or bringing someone with us

It is up to us to decide whether or not we want to tell anyone about our decision. However, if we have someone we trust, it may be a great help before, during and after the procedure. Depending on the rules where we live, we might either be prevented from bringing someone with us, or actually be required to bring someone (sometimes called a chaperone), particularly if we’re under 16. If we’re not sure what the requirements are where we live, we should check with our healthcare provider when booking the appointment.

In Note 6, we will go through suggestions on how to speak to someone about this. that may be helpful for the person coming with us on how they can be most supportive before, during and after the procedure.

Confidentiality

When we have an abortion, it is our right for our information to remain confidential. This means that unless we specifically agree, none of our information will be shared with others. The hospital or clinic where we have an abortion may not be required to inform our doctors, but we have the right to ask them if they intend to do so, and also instruct them to keep our information private even from our doctor, if that is our preference. Providers have a duty to protect our privacy, and should only collect the minimum information needed to treat us safely and legally, and to check how our treatment can be funded.

If our healthcare providers suspect we are at risk of harm, they may be obliged to contact authorities under mandatory reporting laws. However, they should always tell us first if they are going to do this. We may also have to take additional considerations if we are underage.

It is important to check local laws on our confidentiality. Find more information about navigating local laws in Note 2.

Questions we might be asked on the day

It can also be helpful to be prepared for the kinds of questions we may be asked on the day. Many of these questions help the medical team get a clearer picture of why we want the abortion. This ensures that we are safe and sure of our decision. `They may ask us these questions in a pre-abortion appointment, or on the day of the abortion itself. Remember, if we feel uncomfortable or pressured to change our mind, we are allowed to leave.

These questions may relate to:

• Our reasons for considering/having an abortion and whether we are sure about our decision. This might be to ensure that we have not been pressured by anyone. . In the UK for example, only certain socio-economic reasons are permitted, so the counsellor will need you to share those reasons.

• If we understand the abortion methods available, including any associated . Medical professionals have a duty of care to us, so they need to make sure we are aware of everything before we have a procedure.

• Our sexual history. We may be offered testing for sexually transmitted infections, and possibly a cervical screening. They may also ask about our use of sexual protection, and if we use any kind of contraception.

• Accessibility, needs, & preferences. They may ask if we prefer to have a female nurse attend the procedure, or if we have any specific needs which they can accommodate on the day, such as language requirements or accessibility concerns.

We can think, plan in advance, and bring a notebook with some questions we might want to ask, in case we forget on the day. Our providers should be able to answer our questions and be willing to discuss anything we need to in as much detail as possible.

Remember, we have the right to feel safe and secure when getting an abortion, and having the right information to prepare us can help.