Nowadays there are lots of clinics that offer facilitates access to second trimester and late second trimester abortion procedures. The second trimester lasts from the 15 week of the last normal menstrual period till 20 weeks LMP. The late second trimester begins at 21 weeks LMP and lasts up to the 26 week LMP. Such procedure as a dilatation and evacuation (D&E) are used. As a patient you will have to take several steps before the procedure, to guarantee your safety.
Pregnancy Verification
At a good clinic every patient will have an ultrasound. This advanced diagnostic technique is used 5 weeks or more after the last menstrual period in order to determine the exact duration of the pregnancy. It is an important diagnosis and further assures the safety of the patient and the procedure.
Preoperative Examination
Routine laboratory analysis includes such procedures as Rh typing, hemoglobin testing, and urinalysis. Rhogam is administered for an additional charge to Rh-negative women. With the completion of the laboratory testing, a Nurse will evaluate your health. Within this evaluation, your medical history and physical is completed and each patient is pre-screened for anesthesia risks.
Counseling
It has been proven that counseling is one of the most important safe assurances for patients scheduled for abortion services. Each woman gets personalized, confidential attention and care during her visit. Counseling services provide information about the procedure, its possible risks and complications and birth control.
Besides, counselors help with feelings and concerns associated with the termination. Our counselors treat each patient with warmth, understanding and sensitivity. Each counselor provides an attentive, supportive, and caring atmosphere for the patient, her family, and significant others.
The D&E Procedure
This procedure consists of two parts: dilatation and evacuation. Dilatation is a slow and slight enlargement of the opening of your uterus. The cervix is enlarged with the use of osmotic dilators. This process gently opens (dilates) the cervix. The number of osmotic dilators used and the time required for dilatation will depend upon the length of your pregnancy and whether or not you are having a one or two-day procedure.
Evacuation means the removal of the contents of the uterus. The evacuation procedure is performed with a combination of suction aspiration and surgical instruments. Two-Day and/or Late Second Trimester procedures are performed on two consecutive days. The D&E method is a safe and easy outpatient procedure performed by our Board Certified Medical Director in a licensed surgical center.
What to Expect
On the first day, patients are checked in. They will then receive an ultrasound, laboratory work-up and a physical examination. Their medical history will be taken and reviewed by a nurse. They will be assigned a counselor for a private counseling session.
After this patients will be escorted to the licensed surgical center where they will then be prepared for insertion of the osmotic dilators. It is very important for woman and her companion to know that upon insertion of the osmotic dilators the abortion procedure has begun.
Changing your mind after the insertion of the osmotic dilators carries a high risk of miscarriage and infection. You should not consent to the insertion if you have any doubts about terminating pregnancy.
After the osmotic dilators are inserted in the surgical center, One Day D&E patients will be escorted to a "patient holding area" for monitoring by the surgical center's Nursing staff until the required number of hours have passed to safely complete the procedure. This time is determined by the physician.
After the osmotic dilators are inserted in the surgical center, Two Day/Late D&E patients and their driver are REQUIRED to spend the night at a nearby hotel or private residence. Patients are discharged from the surgical center with a 24-hour medical emergency number, written overnight care instructions, instructions for taking medications and the time to return to the surgical center for the completion of the procedure for the following day.
Two Day/Late D&E patients must return at the appointed time the following day. After brief processing by the Business Office the patient will be escorted to the patient change room by a member of the Operating Room staff for pre-operative processing.
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