GYNAEDOCTORS -

FAQs

Is medical abortion suitable for me?

A medical termination of pregnancy may not be suitable for you:

If you are pregnant and wish to continue with your pregnancy
If your pregnancy is assessed as being more than 63 days gestation
If you have a known or suspected ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy growing outside the uterus)
You have a known or suspected hypercoagulation disease (a bleeding disorder)
You are taking anticoagulants (drugs that prevent or treat bloods clots)
You suffer from severe disease where it is necessary to take steroids (eg asthma uncontrolled by treatment)
You are taking steroids, which reduce the activity of your immune system
You have adrenal failure
If you have epilepsy
You have allergy to any of the medication used in the process
You have an IUD in place – this must be removed before the termination of pregnancy process is started
You have a pelvic infection
You are breastfeeding

Which medicines do I take for a medical abortion?

Two medicines are used for a medical termination of first trimester pregnancy: first an anti-progesterone tablet is taken and then 36 to 48 hours later, prostaglandin tablets are taken.

The annti-progesterone tablet acts by blocking the effects of progesterone, a hormone that is needed for pregnancy to continue.

The prostaglandin tablets cause contractions of the uterus and relaxation of the cervix which helps push out the contents of the uterus.

Both medications work together to end a pregnancy.

How do I take the medicines?

There are two steps in the process:

First step is to take one anti-progesterone tablet. Some women can experience bleeding between the first and second steps of treatment.
The second step : 36 to 48 hours after you take anti-progesterone tablet, you need to take the prostaglandin tablets.

After this you can expect some vaginal bleeding, cramps and to pass some pregnancy tissue. This commonly occurs within four hours but in some cases may occur anywhere between 30 minutes and 48 hours after taking the prostaglandin tablets. The bleeding lasts on average for 10 to 16 days and may be heavy.

Most women require no further medication, however, if no bleeding has occurred within 24 hours after taking the prostaglandins, you should contact the clinic.

On rare occasions, the pregnancy may not be expelled after the course of medicines. In this case, we may either have to repeat the medicines or remove the pregnancy using the suction method under light sedation.

What happens when I am having an abortion?

Below is a list of the most common symptoms you may experience as part of the abortion process.

Vaginal Bleeding:
The onset of bleeding is usually within 4 hours of taking the prostaglandin tablets and most women will experience the onset within 48 hours. Bleeding can range from light to heavy. Bleeding is usually more than a typical menstrual period and should diminish once the pregnancy is expelled.

The bleeding lasts on average for 10 to 16 days. Light bleeding can continue for 30 days or more but does not normally go beyond the first period following your treatment.

Cramping:
Cramping can start within 4 hours of taking the prostaglandin tablets and can range from mild to severe and is usually more than a typical menstrual period. Significant cramping should diminish once the pregnancy is expelled and does not usually last longer than 24 hours. To help manage your pain, you need to rest, take pain relief medications as prescribed and use heat packs on your stomach or back.

When do I need to worry or call the doctor?

You should contact your doctor for immediate medical attention if you experience:

Heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking two or more sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours or have large fist sized clots)
Prolonged heavy bleeding or severe cramping. It is expected that, on average, bleeding will occur for 10 to 16 days after prostaglandin administration and may initially be heavy – you should return to the clinic for bleeding occurring after this time
Cramping which is not improved be pain relief medication
Fever, chills or malaise lasting six hours or more
Any abnormal vaginal discharge
Severe abdominal pain
Feeling sick (including weakness)

Why might the Pill By Post option be the better option for abortion termination?

We believe that women have the right to make decisions about their own bodies - including whether or not to end a pregnancy. The abortion pill, otherwise referred to as the ‘Pill by Post’ makes abortion treatments accessible to women all over the country.

In this article, we will be discussing why pill by post could be the best option for pregnancy termination, providing women with the privacy they need at a very sensitive time.

What is Pill by Post?

Pill by post is a pregnancy termination pill (two, actually) delivered to you through the post. It’s a convenient way to terminate a pregnancy and offers women the privacy, comfort, and control they need. And if they want more support, it’s only ever a phone call away.

How Many Weeks Pregnant Can I be for Pill by Post?

In the UK, a woman can legally terminate a pregnancy up to 24 weeks. However, there are medical reasons (such as risk to life, severe fetal development issues, and significant health concerns) that can permit a later abortion.

It is safe for women to have an abortion using the pill by post method up to 10 weeks pregnant. If you are 10 weeks pregnant or under, pill by post is typically a safe way for you to terminate your pregnancy.

If you are further along in your pregnancy you will need to attend an in-person clinic to discuss the different methods of pregnancy termination available to you.

How The Abortion Pill Works

It’s a simple process really and you are supported throughout by a member of our team who will answer your questions, provide guidance, and help you through every stage in the process. Here’s how it works…

Virtual Consultation

The abortion pill is available to women up to 10 weeks pregnant. You will be deemed appropriate (or not) for the abortion pill after a consultation with one of our specialists. This consultation is carried out virtually.

Posting Your Pills

After the consultation, you will be sent your prescription abortion pills in the post. These will arrive at your address in discreet, unmarked packaging. The package will include detailed instructions on when and how to take the medications, as well as aftercare advice and how to seek support at any time. We advise you to read through these documents thoroughly before starting the process.

Taking the Abortion Pills

Inside your package there will be two abortion pills. Each has a very specific job. The first works to block the hormone progesterone - this is the hormone needed to sustain and grow a pregnancy. Without enough progesterone, the uterus begins breaking down in preparation for your period.

24 hours after taking the first tablet you must take the second tablet. This tablet causes contractions and bleeding, helping your body to pass the pregnancy.

Symptoms You Might Experience

After taking the first tablet, you might experience some cramping and bleeding. This typically occurs in the first 24 hours and is a good sign that the womb is breaking down. Other symptoms you might experience during the termination process include:

Heavy bleeding (2-3 days)
Passing clots
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhoea
Dizziness
Exhaustion
Period-like symptoms for 2-3 weeks

If any of the symptoms you are experiencing feel unmanageable, it is important that you seek advice from your doctor.

Follow-up Appointment

Once the procedure is complete and your body has passed the pregnancy, you will receive a follow-up appointment with us. This is typically 2-5 weeks after your abortion.

The follow-up appointment is a chance for us to carry out blood work and perform an ultrasound to confirm that you are no longer pregnant. While a pregnancy test can confirm this, an ultrasound provides more detail and helps us ensure there is no leftover tissue that, if left untreated, could cause infection.

What If I am Still Pregnant?

If, during the follow-up appointment, we discover that you are still pregnant, you may need to repeat the termination procedure or undergo a surgical abortion in our clinic if this is deemed more appropriate. However, failed abortions are rare, with an estimated 1 in 100 abortions failing. So, rest assured that this is unlikely to happen to you.

Pregnancy Termination in the Clinic

If pill by post is not a safe or suitable option for you because of how far along you are, there are other methods of pregnancy termination to explore, including:

Medical Abortion: for some women, it might be considered medically unsafe to undergo an abortion at home without any medical supervision. As such, you might be asked to come into the clinic to take your tablets under supervision.

Surgical Abortion: this is for women who are over 12 weeks pregnant and involves removing the pregnancy from the womb. This can be done using either suction aspiration (for women up to 12 weeks pregnant) or dilation and excavation (for women up to 24 weeks pregnant).

You will be given the appropriate pain relief and supported throughout either abortion process by our excellent and understanding team of professionals. We understand that going through an abortion can feel scary and that it’s a time filled with emotion. So, we’re here to support you.

What is the Difference Between Pill by Post and the Emergency Contraception Pill?

The most important distinction between the pill by post and the emergency contraceptive pill is that one terminates a pregnancy and the other prevents a pregnancy from happening.
The emergency contraceptive should ideally be used within 5 days of sexual intercourse to be effective. According to NHS Inform, “emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after you’ve had sex. It can be used when you’ve had unprotected sex, missed a pill, or a condom has burst. It should never be used as an alternative to normal contraception.” Essentially, emergency contraception prevents the sperm from reaching and fertilising the egg, therefore preventing pregnancy from happening.

The abortion pill is taken once a woman discovers she is pregnant (as long as she is 10 weeks pregnant or less) and removes the pregnancy from the womb.

4 Major Benefits of Pill by Post for Women

There are three major benefits to the pill by post pregnancy termination solutions, these are:

The Comfort of Being at Home

Generally speaking, pill by post offers women the chance to terminate their pregnancy in the comfort of their homes. This means they can choose to have as many or few people with them as they want and feel more relaxed, comfortable, and in control than they might have felt in a hospital environment.

Most women want to terminate their pregnancy in the most natural way possible and for many this means passing the pregnancy at home. Pill by post makes this possible for many.

It Feels More Natural

Many women report that taking the pill by post feels like the most natural way to pass their pregnancy as it is similar to a miscarriage and therefore feels less invasive than a surgical pregnancy termination might. This can also be helpful for emotional processing post-abortion.

Increased Abortion Accessibility

Pill by post makes abortion possible for women who would otherwise struggle to access these services. It’s easy to forget that not everyone can get to an abortion clinic and therefore, many women aren’t getting the support they really need. Pill by post makes abortion more widely accessible.

Greater Control and Personal Privacy

Women who utilise the pill by post service have greater control of their abortion experience. They have the flexibility and control over timing when to terminate their pregnancy and they are allowed the privacy to do so.

This is also convenient as it means they can time their treatment to accommodate other events such as childcare, work, and personal commitments, around their treatment.

This results in women feeling less rushed and stressed by the abortion process in general.

Final Words

Pill by post is the future of abortion care for women. It allows women to make decisions about their own bodies and futures from the privacy of their homes. It ensures women can have their support network with them, if they choose, and gives them the flexibility and control to terminate their pregnancy at a time that’s best for them.

Here at GynaeDoctors, we are actively working to make pregnancy termination treatment more widely accessible to women. If you would like to explore the pill by post further or learn more about our pregnancy termination services, please get in touch. We’d be happy to talk you through everything and answer your questions.

” We offer virtual (video) consultations and provide the “Pill by Post” service.“

Gynaedoctors

We provide 100% confidential and discrete terminations of pregnancies of up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.

How does the procedure work?

Pricing

In clinic abortion:

Pill by post

Consult only

Why Gynaedoctors