Delegate agencies must comply with the most recent edition of the Program Guidelines. Agencies must also comply with all applicable state laws. Title X funds are not used for abortion or abortion services. NEICAC Health Services is a Title X funded clinic, and therefore does not provide abortion or abortion services.

Abortion

Abortion is when a person chooses to end the pregnancy before the baby is born. Abortion can happen naturally and does so in about 15-40% of pregnancies. This is also known as a miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion.

Of the approximately six million pregancies in the US each year, less than 25% of women choose to have an abortion. Abortion is a safe and legal way for women to choose to end a pregnancy. Abortions are very common. More than 1 in 3 women in the US have an abortion by the time they are 45.

There are various procedures for an abortion

• Aspiration (vacuum aspiration)
• most common procedure used
• usually used up to 16 weeks after last period
• your health care provider will examine your uterus
• you will get medicine for pain
• a speculum will be inserted into your vagina
• your health care provider may inject a numbing medication into or near your cervix
• you will be given antibiotics to prevent infection
• a tube is inserted through the cervix into the uterus
• either a hand-held suction device or a suction machine gently empties your uterus
• the procedure only take 5 to 10 minutes, but more time may be needed to prepare and for recovery
• D&E (Dilation and Evacuation)
• usually used later than 16 weeks after last period
• your health care provider will examine your uterus
• you will get medication for pain, offered sedation or IV medication
• a speculum will be inserted into your vagina
• your cervix will be prepared for the procedure
• you will be given antibiotics to prevent infection
• in later second trimester procedures, you may also need a shot through your abdomen to make sure there is fetal demise before the procedure begins
• your health care provider will inject a numbing medication into or near your cervix
• medical instruments and a suction machine gently empty your uterus
• the procedure usually takes 10 to 20 minutes, but more time may be needed to prepare and for recovery
• the abortion pill (Medication Abortion)
• medicine that ends an early pregnancy. In general, it can be used up to 63 days after the first day of a woman’s last period.
• they will discuss your options
• talk about your medical history
• have laboratory tests
• have a physical exam plus ultrasound
• there are three steps
• the abortion pill
• the health care provider will give you the abortion pill at the clinic and some antibiotics. The pill works by blocking the hormone progesterone. Without progesterone a pregnancy cannot continue.
• Misoprostol
• this will be the second medicine you take it causes the uterus to empty.
• will be taken up to 3 days after taking the abortion pill
• it will cause you to have cramps and bleed heavily and usually lasts a few hours
• more than 1⁄2 of women abort within four or five hours after taking the second medicine
• follow up
• you will need to follow up within 2 weeks. It is important to follow up to make sure the abortion is complete

Effectiveness of these abortion methods vary. They work almost every time they are done. You will follow up with your health care provider to be sure that it worked and you are well.

After the abortion, you will be told by your health care provider what you can do and what not to do after your abortion. There may be spotting that lasts up to six weeks, heavy bleeding for a few days, or bleeding that stops and starts again.

Termination Services

Emma Goldman Clinic 1-800-848-7684 Iowa City, IA

Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa 1-866-596-1367 Des Moines, IA

Meadowbrook Women’s Clinic 1-800-721-7708 Minneapolis, MN

Madison Abortion Clinic 1-800-322-2039 Madison, WI