| Two-day
Abortion Procedure For 20 - 24 Weeks
You probably have many questions regarding
a second trimester abortion procedure.
This information is designed to address
those concerns. Please read the information
carefully and if you have questions
please call 1-888-878-3304
and speak to a patient educator.
If you are unsure
about how far you are into your pregnancy,
click
here.
A second trimester
abortion (20-24 weeks) requires two
visits to our office over two consecutive
days. The method we use, called Dilatation
and Evacuation (D&E), is the medically
indicated procedure for a second trimester
abortion.
For more detailed information, click
on the following:
PRE-OPERATIVE
INSTRUCTIONS
DAY
1
DAY
2
POST-OPERATIVE
INSTRUCTIONS
POSSIBLE
COMPLICATIONS
PAYMENT
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| PRE-OPERATIVE
INSTRUCTIONS |
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For
Day 1 and Day 2 of your
appointment, you may not
eat, drink or chew anything
for four hours before you
come in. |
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Smoking
is not advised prior to
Day 1 or Day 2. |
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Please
make arrangements for children
to be left at home. |
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When
you come to our office on
Day 1, payment in full will
be collected prior to any
services being rendered.
For your convenience our
offices accept cash, Visa
and MasterCard. Personal
checks are not accepted.
Most insurance plans are
accepted, but must be verified
prior to your visit. |
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If you
receive general anesthesia
or I.V. Sedation you must
have an escort drive you
home. |
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During Day
1 you will: |
| 1. |
Be
in our office for approximately
2-3 hours. |
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2.
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Complete self medical
history and consent forms.
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3.
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Leave a urine
sample for a pregnancy
test.
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4.
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Have a simple
blood test by finger stick to
determine your blood count and
your Rh factor.
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5.
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Have a sonogram
to estimate the length of
pregnancy.
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6.
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Meet with an
intake counselor to discuss
your medical history forms and
to make your payment
in full.
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7.
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Meet with a
patient
educator who will discuss
the
procedures, aftercare
instructions and birth control
options.
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8.
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Have an examination
and the laminaria insertion.
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During Day
2 you will: |
| 1. |
Be
in our office for approximately
4-6 hours. |
| 2.
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Receive
Cytotec
medication (up to 4 hour wait
for medication to take effect) |
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3.
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Complete
the abortion
procedure. |
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4.
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Be
observed for a brief recovery
period with the recovery area
staff. (Approx. 1 hour) |
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5.
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You
must have an escort to take you
home after receiving general anesthesia
or I.V. Sedation.. |
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| POST-OPERATIVE
INSTRUCTIONS |
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Prior to your
procedure you will be given
written after-care instructions. Post-operative care is essential
to your well-being.
To protect against
infection, antibiotics are given
routinely. If your blood type
is RH negative you will be given
Rhogam. If the physician deems it necessary,
you may also be given Methergine
to help your uterus to contract.
We are On
Call 24 hours a day for medical
emergencies.
All patients
must have a post-operative exam
three weeks after the procedure.
There is NO additional charge
for this exam. If you were referred
to our office by your own OB/GYN,
we encourage you to return to
your physician for your continued
care after you have been released
from our care. However, complete
post-operative care and on-going
gynecological services are available
to all self-referred patients
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| POSSIBLE
COMPLICATIONS |
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Second
trimester abortion is a safe
surgical procedure and has approximately
the same rate of complications
as normal childbirth. Complications
range from minor to severe,
including the rare event of
death. However, deaths that
occur during abortions in the
second trimester are in most
cases the result of physical
complications present prior
to the procedure. Therefore,
it is very important that you
inform us fully about your medical
history and any drugs, legal
or illegal, that you are using.
Complications
that can occur during or after
the abortion include infection,
incomplete abortion (where some
of the placenta remains in the
uterus), injuries to the uterus,
cervical tear, heavy and prolonged
bleeding, whole body complications
such as blood clotting problems,
adverse reactions to the drugs,
shock, cardiac arrest, amniotic
fluid embolism and possible
sterility. If you have a multiple
pregnancy, the chances of complications
increase. There is also the
possibility of cervical incompetence
which may result in problems
maintaining a pregnancy in the
future (possible miscarriage,
stillbirth, low birth weight,
premature delivery). Should
any of these complications arise,
antibiotic drugs and blood transfusions
may be required. Remember, although
many types of complications
have been listed, the chances
of a complication are small.
Many
complications are also a result
of NOT taking care of yourself
after leaving our office. It
is essential that you follow
the post-operative instructions
explained to you. Even though
complications are rare, you
should call us immediately if
there is a problem such as those
mentioned on your post-operative
instruction sheet. Our doctors
are on call 24 hours a day.
A complication that is detected
early is usually easily treated
and corrected before it can
become a major complication.
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| PAYMENT |
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We
require your entire procedure
fee to be paid before the procedure
is begun on Day 1. Payment can
be made in cash, money order,
or credit card (MasterCard or
VISA). Most insurance plans
are accepted, but must be verified
prior to your visit.
You
may also have additional fees
if the doctor or medical staff
determines that you need extra
medications or testing. This
may include, but is not limited
to: injectable antibiotics,
early detection urine pregnancy
test, urine culture, throat
culture, or Rhogam injection.
If you have Rh negative blood
it is absolutely essential that
you receive a Rhogam injection.
Ask the intake counselor if
you have questions about the
cost of these medications.
There
are some supplies which you
have the option to purchase
while in our office. Methergine
tablets or the Depo
Provera injection (birth
control) are both available
for an additional charge. Ask
the intake counselor if you
have questions about the cost
of these medications.
If
the procedure is not performed
due to patient request or physician
advice, you will be responsible
for payment for services already
rendered such as the pregnancy
test, sonogram and lab tests.
All other fees will be refunded.
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