We have prepared some information to help answer some of the questions you might have about having a termination.
What will happen at the hospital?
You will be seen by a nurse practitioner or doctor.
They will take all your medical details and perform a scan through your abdomen (tummy) to find out how many weeks pregnant you are. For this you need a full bladder.
We will as you to provide a urine sample and vaginal swab to see if you have an infection (Chlamydia) in the cervix (next of the womb). We will also ask to take a swab from your nose; throat and perineum to ensure you do not have an MRSA infection.
A blood sample will be taken to find out your blood group and to check you are not anaemic. You should be in the hospital clinic for no more than an hour. We will give you a date for your termination before you leave.
Remember; if your doctor has given you a letter, please bring this to the clinic.
What happens if I am undecided?
The decision to terminate a pregnancy is always difficult. Some women remain undecided if this is the right option for them.
If you have doubts about whether to go through with the termination, it is important to share these with the nurse practitioner or doctor. Some women benefit from further counselling before they decide what to do. The important thing is to make the right decision and not feel rushed into doing something you really don’t want to do.
Which is the ‘best’ method of termination?
All methods of termination can lead to complications but these are unusual.
Complications are more common the further along you are in your pregnancy, especially after 14 weeks. At present there is insufficient evidence to be certain whether one method of termination is better than another.
Some patients, especially during medical termination, feel sick and have vomiting and diarrhoea.
Overall, three to five out of every 200 people will experience pain and/or bleeding after a termination requiring them to seek medical advice. In about half of these cases, the termination is not complete, and an operation is necessary to empty the womb. This is slightly more common after a medical termination.
More serious problems (such as severe infection or bleeding and damage to the womb) are much less common (less than 1 in 200 women). Research is needed to find out which method of termination is more acceptable to women. At the RVI we want to find out more about your experiences of termination in order to improve our services. To help us to do this you may be invited to take part in a research study. If so, this will be fully explained and it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part.
You can choose the method of termination you prefer. It is helpful to keep an open mind until you have had the opportunity to discuss this with the nurse practitioner or doctor.
If you are a teenager or young adult you can be supported by parents and friends. The nurse practitioner will however give you the opportunity to discuss issues alone to maintain confidentiality.
You have the right not to have any information passed on to anyone outside the service (like family, friends, doctors, social workers etc) without you knowing about it and agreed to it. The only time this may be different is if you tell us you are in a dangerous situation and by telling someone else this may prevent you being harmed.
If a member of our staff felt that they needed to pass on information without your permission they would still have to inform you what they were going to do.
You can ask to be seen by another member of staff other than the nurse practitioner if you prefer. If you have experienced difficulty in travelling to your appointment, or anticipate any problems on discharge, please discuss it with the nurse practitioner at your clinic consultation or a member of staff on the ward on admission.
What methods of termination are available?
Termination can be performed by an operation (surgical) or by tablets (medical). However, the procedures vary depending on how far pregnant you are.
We are also able to offer the option of an early medical termination at home.
What about future contraception?
It is important to have effective contraception.
The nurse practitioner or doctor will discuss future contraception with you and there are information leaflets available in the clinic. We will prescribe your chosen method of contraception before you go home.
If you wish to cancel your appointment or you think you may be late, please ring the secretary on tel: 0191 282 5869. We advise you allow plenty of time for your journey and locating the clinic. This is very important as if you are late we may have to reschedule your appointment.
Please remember that we are here to help you. If you have any question, doubts or worries, please feel free to ask.
More information
Please remember, we are here to help you. If you have any questions, doubts or worries please feel free to ask
Contact us and not your GP, who may be unaware of the treatment you are receiving.
Ward 40 0191 282 5618 (24 hours)
Ward 40 day unit 0191 2825640 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.00pm)
For further information
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can offer on-the-spot advice and information about the NHS. You can contact them on:
- Freephone 0800 032 02 02
- email: [email protected]
Useful websites
You can find further information on the NHS Choices website . Here you will also find an information prescription generator. This brings together a wealth of approved patient information from the NHS and charity partners which you may find helpful.
