Abortion Procedures

Morning After Pill (Plan B)
The “morning after pill” is a large dose of oral contraceptive. Known as Plan B, the pill is actually 2 tablets, one taken within 72 hours of intercourse and the second 12 hours later. It is NOT the same as RU-486. Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In addition, it may inhibit implantation. It is not effective once the process of implantation has begun.

Things to consider

• Emergency contraception is not effective if a woman is already pregnant.
• Plan B does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• The most common side effects in the Plan B clinical trial were nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, and menstrual changes.
• The manufacturer warns that Plan B is not recommended for routine use as a contraceptive.

Source: Manufacturer's Prescribing Information for Plan B (Levonorgestrel) tablets, 0.75 mg. Mfg. by Gedeon Richter, Ltd., Budapest, Hungary for Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pomona, NY 10970. Revised Feb 2004. BR-038 / 21000382503
 
RU486, or Mifepristone (From 4 to 7 Weeks)
This procedure is also called "medical abortion." It is used for women who are within 30 - 49 days of their last menstrual period. This procedure involves 3 different office visits. The RU-486 or Mifepristone pills are given 2 days prior to a second medication, called Misprostol. The combination of these medications causes the uterus to expel the fetus.

Manual Vacuum Aspiration  (Within 7 Weeks) The cervical muscle is stretched with dilators (metal rods) until the opening is wide enough to allow the abortion instruments to pass into the uterus. A hand-held syringe is attached to tubing that is inserted into the uterus and the fetus is suctioned out.

Suction Curettage  (From 6 to 14 Weeks) The doctor opens the cervix with a dilator (a metal rod) or laminaria (thin sticks derived from plants and inserted hours before the procedure). The doctor inserts tubing into the uterus and connects the tubing to a suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus apart and out of the uterus. One variation of this procedure involves a Curette (a loop-shaped knife) to scrape the fetal parts out of the uterus. This is the most common procedure.

Dilation and Evacuation  (From 13 to 24 Weeks)
The baby's body doubles in size between weeks 11 and 12, and is too large to pass through the suction tubing. Therefore, the cervix must be opened wider than in the first trimester abortion, by inserting laminaria a day or two before the abortion. After opening the cervix, the doctor pulls out the fetal parts with forceps. The baby's skull is crushed to ease removal.
 
Dilation and Extraction  (From 20 Weeks to Full-Term)
Also known as a partial-birth abortion, this procedure takes 3 days. During the first 2 days, the cervix is dilated and medication is given for cramping. On the 3rd day, the woman receives medication to start labor, after which the doctor uses ultrasound to locate the baby's legs. Grasping a leg with forceps, the doctor delivers the baby up to the baby's head. Next, scissors are inserted into the base of the skull to create an opening, where a suction catheter is used to remove the skull contents. The skull collapses and the baby is removed completely.
 
Abortion procedural information used with permission from Care Net