Abortion Procedure up to 16 weeks

The abortion procedure using vacuum aspiration is safe and 99% effective. Most patients prefer it because it is fast (less than 5 minutes) and gets you back to your life quickly. For more information about the differences between this method and the abortion pill see our guide, Which Method is Right for Me.

The procedure starts with a normal exam to determine the size and positioning of the uterus. The doctor will numb the cervix to block pain which usually takes less than a minute. She will gradually dilate or stretch open the cervix and will empty the uterus with a blunt tipped tube and suctioning. The amount of time this takes varies from a minute at earlier gestations to two minutes or more for larger gestations.

At STWHS we offer various pain medications, anti-nausea relief, and sedation options. We give patients an antibiotic to prevent infections. Please let us know if you have any allergies to medications. Pain medications and a medicine to soften the cervix take time to work from half an hour to two hours, depending on gestation. This affects total time in our office.

After the procedure patients will rest in our recovery room for about half an hour. Aftercare instructions will be given to every patients: Watch for fever, excessive bleeding or clotting, and call our 24 hour number (607) 785-4171 if either continue.