If you find that you are pregnant but you don’t want to be and are too late to take emergency contraception, your options are:
- Continue with the pregnancy and keep the baby (see pregnancy and parenthood page)
- Continue with the pregnancy and have the baby adopted
- Terminate the pregnancy (have an abortion)
If you decide you cannot continue with the pregnancy, it is important to get advice quickly. You can self refer to the Women's Health Unit by calling 01698 366926. This referral line is open Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm. Consultations will be carried out over the phone and options for treatment will be discussed at this point.
When you attend this clinic, the initial appointment will take approximately 1 hour and you will:
- See a nurse and a doctor
- Have an ultrasound scan to tell how many weeks pregnant you are
- Discuss the different methods of termination of pregnancy and decide which method is safest for you
- Have a blood test taken - to check your blood group and that you are not anaemic
- Be offered screening for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis
- Talk about what method of contraception you want to use after the termination of pregnancy
Before you leave the clinic you will have information on the procedure, the dates of the procedure and any special instructions. Please be aware that you are not committing yourself to any procedure by coming to this clinic. You will be able to talk to the nurses and doctor about your decision. Having an unintended pregnancy can be a very difficult and often emotional time. It is important to ensure that you make the right decision for you at the point you are in your life. More information is available in this short film about the procedure.
Helping you to prevent unintended pregnancy in the future is an important part of the service offered. Most methods of contraception can be started immediately or very soon after a termination of pregnancy.
What is a termination?
A termination is a way of ending an unintended pregnancy either using medicines (drugs) or a surgical procedure.
- Early Medical Termination (up to 9 weeks + 6 days of pregnancy) is the safest and most effective method for women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant. Early medical abortion can be achieved by taking oral medication (tablets). One set of medication is taken at the hospital appointment and a second set of tablets can be taken at home to complete the process.
- Medical Termination (from 9 weeks until 18–20 weeks pregnant) this involves attending two hospital appointments as the procedure is in two parts.
- Suction Termination (if you are less than 14 weeks pregnant) This procedure is carried out under a general anaesthetic; this means that you will be asleep. The operation lasts 10–20 minutes.
Deciding to have a termination
In Great Britain (Scotland, England and Wales) the law (Abortion Act 1967, as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990) allows a woman to have an abortion (termination) up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, if two doctors agree that it is less likely to cause harm to her physical or mental health than continuing with the pregnancy.
Most abortions (80-90%) are carried out before 13 weeks of pregnancy. Only about 1% is carried out after 20 weeks.
Within Lanarkshire we can offer abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, women who are over 20 weeks are referred to BPAS. These very late abortions require the medical team to have highly specialised skills and are usually only carried out in England.
The right to refuse
A doctor or nurse has the right to refuse to take part in the procedure if they do not believe in abortion. However, they should always refer you on to another doctor or nurse who will help. The General Medical Council guidance for doctors makes it clear that a doctor’s ‘personal beliefs’ should not affect patient care. There is similar guidance provided by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses, and by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for pharmacists. If your doctor is not being helpful, try to see another doctor or nurse at your general practice or visit your local sexual health clinic.
Confidentiality
The decision to have an abortion is a matter between you and your healthcare team. All information and treatment are confidential whatever your age. This means that information cannot be shared with anyone else without your agreement unless we have serious concerns about your immediate safety.