An abortion is a way of ending a pregnancy, either through using medicines (drugs) or through a surgical procedure.
In Great Britain, the law allows a woman to obtain an abortion at up to 24 weeks of pregnancy if two doctors agree that it would cause less damage to her physical or mental health than continuing the pregnancy. There are more restrictions in Northern Ireland.
If you think you want an abortion, you should see your general practitioner(GP), practice nurse or family planning clinic. They can refer you to a National Health Service (NHS) or independent abortion service as you wish. If you prefer, you can contact an NHS or independent service directly.
You should not have to wait more than 2 weeks from your first referral to the time of your abortion.
Please click HERE for the full information about abortion from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. A short introduction is presented below.
Abortion care
This information is for you if you are considering having an abortion. It tells you:
• how you can access abortion services
• the care you can expect to receive
• the different abortion procedures you may be offered
This information aims to help you and your healthcare team make the best decisions about your care. It may help you in deciding whether abortion is right for you. It is not meant to replace advice from a doctor or nurse about your own situation.
Some of the recommendations here may not apply to you; this could be because of an illness or condition you have, your general health, your wishes, or some or all of these things. If you think the treatment or care you get does not match what we describe here, talk about it with your doctor or with someone else in your healthcare team.
DISCLAIMER
This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Essential Parent has used all reasonable care in compiling the information from leading experts and institutions but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details
click here.