From seven weeks up to 13 weeks, a pregnancy can be safely ended by a surgical procedure at EDU.
You will be offered some medication to help you relax before going into the procedure room
You will be given misoprostol tablets to help prepare the opening to your womb (cervix).
During the procedure, the doctor will gently open the entrance to your womb (cervix) and insert a plastic tube. The tube is used to remove the pregnancy tissue.
You will be offered medications to help with the pain.
What are the health risks of surgical terminations?
Termination is a safe and legal procedure in New Zealand with very few serious complications. Since 1978, when legal terminations became available in New Zealand, no woman has died as a direct result of a termination.
With all operations, complications can occur. The most common complications are:
Blood clots collecting in the uterus may need to be removed by another suction procedure. This is similar to the abortion procedure and occurs for one out of every 100 women having an abortion.
Infection inside the uterus which is usually easily treated (2%).
The abortion has not completely emptied the uterus of pregnancy tissue with the procedure needing to be repeated (2%) or the potential of infection and/or abnormal bleeding after the procedure.
About five in 100 women who have a surgical termination will need medical attention and some may require admission to hospital for further treatment. A doctor will discuss the risks with you.
What can I expect after treatment?
You may experience some abdominal cramps or discomfort.
EDU.