Paitent Services: Medication Abortion – What to Expect
Please know that steps may vary slightly depending on location.
In Indiana, Public Law 187 requires that a Planned Parenthood of Indiana nurse practitioner or physician give you some very specific information face-to-face at least 18 hours before your abortion. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. There may be a health center closer to you that is able to provide this service. Please ask for further information at the time you make your appointment.
Scheduling your appointment may take up to ten minutes so plan to make the call when you will be free and able to talk. Health center staff will need to ask you personal questions in order to schedule an appointment that meets your needs, so they must make the appointment with the woman having the procedure regardless of her age.
There will be security on site, but please do not allow anyone else to come into the building with you unless you know them.
Once you're in the facility you will check-in at the front desk. At this time you will either turn in your completed paperwork to the front desk health center assistant or you will pick up paperwork to be completed. The health center assistant will also ask for your ID and any other information you have been asked to bring.
After you have checked-in, you will enter the waiting area and take a seat. A health center assistant will call you to a window to begin the intake process and payment for your procedure will be collected. After payment has been collected, you will have a sonogram (an image produced by ultrasound) of the pregnancy. You will watch a video about the procedure that lasts approximately twenty minutes. Next, you will meet with a health center assistant who will go over your medical history. They will address any questions or concerns you have regarding the medication and the process. You can also discuss the different birth control methods available to you at this time. Once you feel comfortable, the next step will be to collect a small amount of blood. A medical assistant will prick your finger in order to get a small blood sample. The blood sample will be tested for anemia and for the presence of RH factor, which may require a special injection. Your weight and blood pressure will also be checked at this time.
Next, you will meet with the physician who will administer one pill that you will take while you are in the health center. This medication is called Mifeprex and is used to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The physician will then give you four pills that you will take at home, and go over the instructions about how and when to take them. After all of your concerns and questions have been answered, you will continue the process at home.
Before you take the rest of the medication at home, you will want to plan ahead. Choose to take the additional medication at a time when you can be private and rest a while after you take them. Plan to have someone you trust available to help you. Buy maxi pads (tampon use is discouraged because it is important to monitor blood flow), non-aspirin pain medicine (something that you would use for menstrual cramps), food, and anything else that you will need to make yourself comfortable. You may want to have books or videos available to help you pass the time.
At home, you will take four pills called Misoprostol that will expel the pregnancy. Follow the directions provided to you at the health center. Cramping typically begins two to four hours after taking the pills. The degree of cramping varies from woman to woman, but you are able to take ibuprofen, Tylenol (no aspirin) or medication prescribed to you by the doctor. It may also help to walk around, use a heating pad, take a hot shower or even rest on the toilet. Along with cramping, you will have bleeding to let you know that the pregnancy is being passed. The physician and staff will talk to you about the amount to expect and what's normal. Your follow-up appointment is very important and will be discussed before you leave the health center.
At any step in the process, please feel free to ask any questions you have about your care with us. We want to make your stay as comfortable as possible, and we appreciate feedback you may have regarding your visit with us.
To learn more about pill (medication) abortion, please watch the video below.
Additional Medication Abortion Information
Preparing for Your Appointment
Preparing Emotionally for Your Appointment
