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| Is
abortion safe? |
| Abortion is the most
common outpatient surgical procedure
in the country. According to the
Alan Guttmacher Institute, a leading
public health research organization,
a first trimester abortion is
11 times safer than carrying a
pregnancy to term and nearly twice
as safe as a penicillin injection. |
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| Will
having an abortion prevent me
from having children in the future? |
| There is no evidence
of childbearing problems among
women who have had an abortion
early in their pregnancy. Of course,
as with all outpatient surgery,
part of the long-term effect is
in your hands. Taking all your
medications, following instructions,
and returning for your follow-up
examination will reduce your chance
of long-term side effects. If
you are concerned about this risk,
do not hesitate to ask your provider
about it and they will be able
to answer your questions more
specifically. |
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| Is
abortion painful? |
| Every person
responds to and tolerates pain
differently. Patients are generally
surprised at how well they feel
physically after their abortion. Although most women experience
some hard cramping during the
procedure, the intensity of the
cramps begins to lessen quickly
while in recovery. When patients
leave, they may feel light cramping
that can be managed with Tylenol
or Motrin. During a non-surgical
abortion, patients can experience
a more intense level of cramping
for a longer period of time but
pain relievers and rest can help
manage the discomfort. We recommend
that you discuss your pain management
options with your chosen provider. |
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| Do
I have to be awake for the procedure?
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| Each
office offers pain management
options. General anesthesia is
available in some of our offices. General anesthesia puts the patient
to sleep for several minutes.
We also offer options such as
IV sedation or nitrous oxide,
which puts the patients in a trance-like
state. |
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| How
long will I be at the office? |
| Be prepared to
spend anywhere from three to six
hours at the doctor's office. |
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| Can
I bring someone with me to the office? |
| We
recommend that you discuss this
with the office before making
an appointment. Most offices discourage
or prohibit bringing children
since it is a long visit and waiting
is hard on everyone. |
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| Can
I bring my children with me to the office? |
| We recommend that you
discuss this with the office before
making an appointment. Most offices
discourage or prohibit bringing children
since it is a long visit and waiting
is hard on everyone. |
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| Will
there be protestors at the office? |
| There is no reason
to expect protestors but the office
does not have control over their absence
or presence. |
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| What
is the difference between a surgical
abortion and a non-surgical abortion? |
| Surgical abortions
are performed using a suction/aspiration
method where the cervical muscle
is gently dilated (widened) approximately
to the diameter of a ballpoint
pen and suction is used to remove
the pregnancy. A non-surgical
abortion is performed by the administration
of Mifeprex ("RU-486").
RU486 is approved by the FDA for
non-surgical abortions. |
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| How
much does it cost to have an abortion? |
| The stage of
your pregnancy meaning the longer
you wait to have the procedure,
the more expensive it will be. First trimester abortions under
12 weeks can range from $350.
- $450. |
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| Will
my insurance cover the costs of
my abortion? |
| Many insurance
plans cover the costs of both
surgical and non-surgical abortions.
We recommend that you call our
office and ask if we accept your
particular insurance plan. We
will be able to answer all of
your questions. |
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| Can
I get financial help to pay for
my abortion? |
| Although we are
not able to provide financial
help, our offices have done an
extraordinary job of keeping the
cost of accessible to most women.
You might ask if they have a local
fund to refer you to. Also, there
are some national funding networks
that might be able to help you
with the cost of your abortion. |
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| I
am on Medicaid. Will that program
pay for my abortion? |
| Medicaid
will not pay for abortions in
the State of Florida. However,
we are able to offer a small
discount if you bring your current
Medicaid card with you for your
appointment.
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