Abortion

An abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy, it is also sometimes known as a termination.

If you’re pregnant and considering abortion, you are not alone. 1 in 3 UK women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.

Who can have an abortion?

Every woman in the UK can have an abortion, regardless of her age.

Deciding to have an abortion

Many women feel very certain they want to have an abortion, while others may find it more difficult to make a decision.

All women requesting an abortion should be offered the opportunity to discuss their options and choices. Impartial information and support is available from:

• Your GP or another doctor at your GP practice
• A counselling service at the abortion clinic
• Charities such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Services (BPAS) and Marie Stopes International (MSI) – beware of so-called “crisis pregnancy centres” that claim to provide impartial advice but often do not

You may also want to speak to your partner, friends or family, for supporting your decision.

If you don’t want to tell anyone, your details will be kept confidential. If you’re under 16, your parents don’t usually need to be told.

How to get an abortion – what do I do next?

The most straight-forward way is for you to contact your local service.

Self-referral numbers for abortion in Wales:

Alternatively, you can:

• Contact an abortion provider directly – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) or Marie Stopes International (MSI).
• If you prefer, speak to your GP and they will be able to give you contact details for a local abortion service.
• Visit a contraception clinic, family planning clinic, sexual health clinic or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic and ask for a referral to an abortion. Find nearby clinics here.

Service waiting times can vary, but you shouldn’t have to wait more than 5 working days from your initial appointment to having an abortion.

Abortions can also be paid for privately if you prefer. Costs for private abortions vary depending on the stage of pregnancy and the method used to carry out the procedure.

When do I need to make my decision?

It is important that you feel certain your decision is the right one for you. However, even if you are not completely sure, you should contact your clinic to arrange a consultation. Treatment can be tailored and postponed if you feel unsure about your decision process.

The length of your pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period. If you’re not sure how long you’ve been pregnant, you may need an ultrasound scan.

Abortions are simpler and safer the earlier they’re carried out. Getting advice early on will give you more time to make a decision if you’re unsure.

Will anyone else be told about my abortion?

If you have an abortion, no matter what age you are, you have a right for that information to remain confidential. This means that information can’t be shared with anyone else without your agreement.

If you have any worries about confidentiality you can discuss this with your doctor or nurse.

• Your GP doesn’t need to know. Some abortion services like to send a letter to your GP. This should only be done with your permission.
• Your partner, or the person you got pregnant with, doesn’t have to know about the abortion and has no legal rights to make a decision about whether or not you continue with the pregnancy. You can go ahead with an abortion without a partner’s knowledge or agreement.
• If you’re under 16, you can have an abortion without telling your parents or carers. The doctors will encourage you to tell your parents or another supportive adult, but if you choose not to this will be respected.
• If you have a learning disability you can have an abortion without telling your carers. However, this is a complex issue and may sometimes require legal advice. If social services are already involved, they’ll act in your best interests, which may involve telling parents or carers, with your agreement.

Confidentiality

All information, advice, and services are confidential, but healthcare professionals are obliged, with your knowledge, to involve social services if they suspect you, or another person, to be at significant risk of harm (for example, sexual, emotional or physical abuse).

What happens during an abortion?

Before having an abortion, you’ll attend an appointment to talk about your decision and what happens next. This appointment may be via a telephone or video call instead of coming to a clinic.

Whenever possible, you should be given a choice of how you would like the abortion to be carried out. There are two options:

• Medical abortion (the “abortion pill”) – you take two medications, usually 24 to 48 hours apart, to induce a miscarriage
• Surgical abortion – you have a minor procedure to remove the pregnancy and normally go home soon afterwards

After an abortion, most women continue with their usual activities from the following day. There will be a few days of vaginal bleeding, more so after a medical abortion.

Possible complications

Having abortion treatment carries less risk than continuing a pregnancy to term. The complications listed below are uncommon and will be treated by your clinic:

• Infection of the womb – occurs in up to 1 in every 10 abortions; it can usually be treated with antibiotics
• Some of the pregnancy remaining in the womb – occurs in up to 1 in every 20 abortions; further treatment may be required if this happens
• Continuation of the pregnancy – occurs in less than 1 in every 100 abortions; further treatment will be needed if this happens
• Excessive bleeding – occurs in about 1 in every 100 surgical abortions, a need for a blood transfusion is less common.
• Damage to the womb – occurs in up to 4 in every 1,000 surgical abortions, and less than 1 in 1,000 medical abortions carried out at 12-24 weeks

Additional information:

• Women who have an abortion are no more likely to experience mental health problems than those who continue with their pregnancy.
• There is also no link between having an abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Having an abortion will not usually affect your chances of becoming pregnant and having normal pregnancies in future. In fact, you may be able to get pregnant immediately afterwards and should use contraception if you want to avoid this.

For more information and support you can contact:

• Your local abortion clinic
• Organisations such as British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) or Marie Stopes International (MSI)
• Your GP or another doctor at your General Practice

The websites listed below are those we recommend:
https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/lifestylewellbeing/Sexualhealthabortion/
https://www.mariestopes.org.uk/
https://www.bpas.org/
Abortion Talk | Talkline and Workshops

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