What happens in an abortion procedure?
Many people think abortion is a quick solution to an unwanted problem but it's much more than that. It's a life changing event with significant physical, emotional and spiritual consequences. Most women who have had an abortion wish they had fully understood the facts of an abortion and the risks before getting the procedure.
In an early pregnancy (less than 13 weeks) in an abortion procedure, the cervix must be widened, usually with thin rods placed in the cervix the day before the procedure. A plastic tube is inserted through the cervical opening and suction is applied, pulling apart the baby's body and sucking it out of the uterus. The is painful so local anesthesia is given. The doctor pulls out any remaining baby parts with a loop shaped tool, and keeps track of the body parts to make sure everything is removed.
For an abortion between week 13 to week 24, thin rods are inserted into the cervix to soften and open it, similar to the procedure above. Local anethesia is given to help with the pain. The doctor may need to stretch the cervix more, using metal rods, because the baby is larger. A plastic tube is inserted and the baby's body is pulled apart and out. A loop shaped tool is used to scrape out any body parts not removed.
In early pregnancy:
In later pregnancy:
Abortion