First Trimester Abortion

First Trimester Abortion

First trimester abortion between 5 and 14 weeks, 6 days

The doctor will perform the abortion by using the Dilation & Curettage “D&C” technique. An average patient’s visit to our center is approximately 4-6 hours.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Register with the receptionist, who will gather information regarding your medical history, your personal information, and take care of insurance or payment. We accept most insurance programs as well as Maryland Medical Assistance.
  • A female staff member, a trained counselor, will bring you to a private examination room.
  • We will perform a sonogram to accurately verify the gestational age.
  • A small blood sample will be drawn and tested for the Rh factor. If needed, you will receive a RhoGam injection.
  • A staff member will review your medical history, discuss your decision to terminate the pregnancy, and offer information on contraception options for the future.
  • During this time, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions. We will discuss post procedure birth control with you and give you a sample of a birth control method.

We offer two levels of anesthesia for our surgical procedures:

  1. Local anesthesia is an injection given around the cervix, also known as a cervical block
  2. Twilight (conscious) IV sedation, which puts you in a semi-conscious state where you are still breathing on your own and will quickly regain consciousness soon after the procedure is complete.

The choice of anesthesia is yours, and there is no difference in the price. We recommend IV sedation since it gives you more pain relief, and most likely you will not remember the procedure.

  • As part of the surgical procedure, all patients will receive the medicines Xanax and Cytotec. Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication, which will not only help you relax, but also contributes to the efficacy of the twilight sedation. Further, it reduces the amount of medication needed for anesthesia. We are one of the few centers across the country to use these remarkable drugs to make the entire procedure easier and much safer for our patients.
  • After your pre-op examination and meeting, you will return to the waiting area until the surgical staff is ready for your procedure.
  • When it is time for your procedure, you will be escorted into the OR, where our staff will help prepare you for surgery , and the nurse will administer the twilight anesthesia.
  • Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the procedure will be performed by a board eligible/certified gynecologist.
  • The procedure consists of a suction D&C, which is one of the safest and most common procedures in the United States, and only takes a few minutes.
  • After your procedure, you will be accompanied to the recovery room where we will monitor your post anesthesia recovery for approximately 30-45 minutes.
  • When you are ready to be discharged, our staff will escort you out to your friend or family member who will take you home.
  • You will be discharged with written and oral instructions on how to take care of yourself and what to do if you have a problem.
  • Follow-up visit in 2-3 weeks to Gynemed Surgical Center
  • We encourage and will assist you in exploring various family planning / birth control options.

Note: Although we truly understand and appreciate the support of the family and friends who accompany you during this difficult and emotional time, out of respect for the privacy of our other patients they will not be allowed to be with you during your pre-op examination and your procedure. Our staff will gladly keep your guest informed of your progress and provide them with an estimated time for discharge. We will also call them by phone if they prefer to leave and come back when you are ready to leave.