I'm considering an abortion - what do I need to know?
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Abortion is the ending of pregnancy and it is available up to 24 weeks of pregnancy
Abortions take place in NHS hospitals or in private clinics.
In England, the majority of women can choose to have an abortion, which is funded by the NHS, either at an NHS hospital or at a private clinic. In Scotland, most abortions are carried out through the NHS in an NHS hospital.
If you are not sure about how many weeks pregnant you are, you may need to have an ultrasound scan and/or an internal examination.
There are two main methods of abortion: the medical and the surgical method.
Early Medical Abortions (EMA) (up to nine weeks of pregnancy)
An early medical abortion (EMA) is one that can be carried out before nine weeks of pregnancy.
How is an early medical abortion done?
This is a two-stage procedure, which involves separate visits to the unit.
- For the first part of your treatment you will be given a tablet called Mifepristone. This drug can make some people feel sick.
- For the second part o...
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