ALL SERVICES MAY BE COMPLETED IN A SINGLE VISIT

You may also choose to make a pre-procedure appointment to determine your exact length of pregnancy by ultrasound. This will help you to know the cost of your abortion prior to your procedure visit. The cost of the pre-procedure visit is $100 and it will be credited toward your procedure fee.

Before Your Visit
Shower or bath as usual and dress comfortably. Please have nothing to eat or drink 8 hours before your appointment.

We ask that you bring the following with you to your appointment:

Your Visit
Plan to be in the office for approximately 3-4 hours.
You will be asked to complete some medical forms and read through information about your procedure. Then, you will have an ultrasound, which is a quick, painless examination that will determine how long you have been pregnant. We will review your medical history and perform some basic lab work to determine your blood type (Rh factor) and check for anemia. You will also have a private discussion with a member of our medical staff to review the procedure, aftercare and birth control options. If at any time you have questions, please feel free to ask our staff, we are here to answer your questions. See our FAQ page for answers to some common questions. Frequently asked questions

The Procedure
The abortion takes only a few minutes and is a simple, safe procedure. A female medical assistant will be by your side during the entire procedure.

Intravenous sedation is given to you through a small needle in your arm. The procedure will begin after the sedation takes effect. In addition, a local anesthetic, much like the dentist uses, is given to numb the cervix. The cervix (the entrance to the uterus) is opened or dilated to about the diameter of a drinking straw. The doctor inserts a small tube, or cannula, which is attached to a suction machine. The mild suction empties the contents of the uterus. You may have mild cramps during the procedure but many patients do not remember the procedure and have no cramps at all.
After the procedure, you will be observed in a cozy recovery room in a comfortable recliner. Our staff will make sure your blood pressure and heart rate are normal and that your bleeding and discomfort are within normal limits. All post-operative medications will be given to you as well as written instructions. Birth control is usually started the Sunday after your abortion. A complimentary one month package of oral contraceptives pills will be given to you if you choose this method of birth control.

Aftercare
Most women are able to return to daily activities the following day. Avoid strenuous activity for a few days to prevent unnecessary pain or bleeding. Most women experience some spotting or bleeding that may last only a few days or as long as two weeks. To prevent infection we advise not to put anything in the vagina (tampons, sex, douching) for two weeks. We are available 24 hours a day for urgent medical calls. You can always reach us with a routine question or concern during normal office hours.

Abortion Pill - Available up to 9 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period.

We use RU486-Mifeprex. This is a pill taken in the clinic followed by a second medication taken at home. It is a non-invasive, non-surgical option for ending an early pregnancy and is 95-98% effective. Many women report medical abortion as being "private" and "more like a miscarriage".

The “abortion shot” is Methotrexate - a cancer chemotherapy drug. With this method, the pregnancy may not be expelled for several weeks, the medication may be toxic to your liver and special blood tests must be done prior to using Methotrexate. We do not use this method. The abortion pill (RU486-Mifeprex) is the preferred method for medical abortion at Reproductive Services of San Antonio.

How does the abortion pill work?
The first medication, Mifeprex, commonly referred to as RU486, is FDA approved and works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is needed to maintain a very early pregnancy. Mifeprex was approved by the FDA in 2000 and has been successfully used by over one million women all over the world.

The second medication, Misoprostol, is a prostaglandin-like medication which has been FDA approved for several years. The drug has been used in obstetrics to induce labor and to treat stomach ulcers. Misoprostol will help the uterus to expel the pregnancy.

Most women will completely expel the uterine contents within 6 hours after the Misoprostol. The majority of patients complete this process within 24 hours of taking the abortion pill in the office. You will experience vaginal bleeding similar to a heavy menstrual period and cramps that may be intense. This discomfort should only last 2-3 hours or so. You will be given pain medication to take for cramping if needed as well as antibiotics to prevent infection.

Your Visit
You will be asked to complete some medical forms and read through information about your procedure. Then, you will have an ultrasound, which is a quick, painless examination that will determine how long you have been pregnant. We will review your medical history and perform some basic lab work to determine your blood type (Rh factor) and check for anemia. If needed, you will receive an injection of Rhogam during this visit. You will also have a private discussion with a member of our medical staff to review the procedure, aftercare and birth control options. If at any time you have questions, please feel free to ask our staff, we are here to answer your questions. It is at this time that you will take he Mifeprex pill. The remaining medications will be given for you to take at home.

Return Visit
You will need to return to our clinic in 2 weeks to determine the completeness of the abortion. Contraception will be discussed and prescribed. Most women will continue to bleed lightly for up to 10-14 days. If the pregnancy tissue has not passed, you might need a D&C or to repeat the Misoprostol.

More information on the abortion pill may be found at www.earlyoptionpill.com

For fact sheets about abortion - www.prochoice.org