EXPLICATIONS ON THE INTERVENTION
Before the intervention
You have decided not to go
on with this pregnancy. You have the right to make that choice, abortion
being legal in Canada since 1988. For
certain women the decision was relatively easy, for others it was more
difficult.
Your decision will be respected by all the staff
here at the "Clinique des femmes", and you will be treated
with care, understanding and competence. Our role is to provide
you with an abortion in the very best of conditions, both humanely and
medically. All our services are strickly confidential.
We demand that all our clients come to visit us, prior
to the intervention, for a preparation meeting. On this
first visit, you will meet with a nurse to complete your medical file. She
will also take a blood sample to determine your blood type and do an
ultrasound
which will be read later by the
doctor. (It is NOT necessary to drink water and
have a full bladder).
The nurse
will see you in private, so you will have the opportunity to discuss
contraception and to talk about your decision, if you need to. For some
women, it’s a chance to exchange with a neutral and understanding person… If
you wish, the person accompanying you can be present to part of this
meeting.
This first
visit will last approximately 45 minutes. Do not hesitate to discuss
anything that worries you : abortion is quite often an unknown for a lot of
women and any question is a good one!
You will then be familiarized with us and our clinic, and this should help
you to be more relaxed on the day of the intervention.
The day of the intervention
The day of the intervention, you must be accompanied.
But the person accompanying you will have to stay in the waiting room
until you are ready to leave (nobody is allowed in the
operating or recovery room).
Before
the intervention, you will be seen by the nurse. Then, you will meet the doctor
and discuss contraception. Et this time, the doctor will answer any
questions or concerns you might still have.
Then, the nurse will make sure that you are comfortably
positioned on the gynecological table and will be there throughout the procedure to take care
of you, help you relax, explain the intervention or simply to chat with you.
You will
receive two intravenous medications, Fentanyl and Versed. They are very
effective pain-killers and relaxants.
Considering the different types of anesthesia administered, you are not
to drive a car or sign important document within the next 12 hours after
the procedure.
The intervention
The
intervention takes approximately 10 minutes. To begin, the doctor will very
gently do a gynecological examination. This is done to evaluate the position
and size of the uterus. Then a
speculum will be inserted to open the vagina and permit visual inspection of
the cervix.
Note: All our instruments are
sterilized or disposable. There is no risk of contamination from one
patient to another.
If this
has not been done before, the doctor will take a culture for detection of a
type of sexually transmitted disease (chlamydia, gonorrhoea), and a pap
smear (we
do not test for other sexually transmitted diseases such as
Aids, hepatitis…).
The doctor will proceed to administer the local anesthesia
and dilate your cervix.
You may feel cramps similar to menstrual cramps,
but they should be short and rapidly eased by the medication.
Then the
uterus is emptied.
A light
curettage will be done followed by a second suction, very short.
The
abortion is now over, you are no longer pregnant.
If your blood type is negative, a medication will be given in order to avoid
problems in subsequent pregnancies.
Recovery room
You
will be able to get up and walk to the recovery room. You may sit or lie
down. A nurse will see to your comfort. The
average length of time for recovery is 30 minutes.The nurse
will answer your questions and will give you required medication or
prescriptions.
You can
now leave the clinic.
This is
when the person accompanying you will take over and see to your needs.
Is it dangerous?
Our fears come from the time
when abortions were performed by charlatans. People against abortion also
spread false information in order to scare women.
An abortion by suction, done by
a competent doctor, assisted by kind and competent staff, with the
appropriate equipment, is a very safe procedure. However,
as for all medical interventions, there are possible complications.
Complications regarding abortions are very rare and generally easy to treat.
By order
of frequency:
Infection: Despite
all precautions, women sometimes spontaneously develop an infection of the
internal organs (uterus or tubes). If you develop one or several signs of
infection (fever, pains, odorous discharge), consult immediately with your
doctor. An infection treated by antibiotics at the first signs will usually
be of no consequence.
Hemorrhage: During
the intervention, done with the suction method, this is not probable.
Furthermore, we have medication to quickly stop any abnormal bleeding. In
the following days, if you have any signs of hemorrhaging (need for a
sanitary napkin every hour for 6 hours), consult immediately with a hospital
center. There is no need for panic because, despite appearances, very
little blood is lost, but it must be stopped (either by medication or
another D&C).
Incomplete abortion: Can the abortion
"fail"? In the last 15 years, rare cases of continued
pregnancies have been observed in the province. In every case,
it had to do with pregnancies which were not very advanced (around 6
weeks).
However, incomplete abortions do exist - it consists
of residual tissue or membranes remaining in the uterus despite the quality
of the medical act (it’s called "rention"). We must
therefore act, either by medication or another D&C (or by a simple
suction).
Damage to the uterus:
This is rare and generally without consequences. This complication may
necessitate a stay in the hospital for observation. Healing is often
spontaneous without any surgical intervention.
Allergic reaction to medication:
You have to tell us of any allergy or intolerance to medication. We will
also question you as to any existing allergies. Risks pertaining to the
pharmaceutical products we use do exist, but not any more or less than for
medication distributed through pharmacies. We have everything necessary to
intervene if need be.
Danger of infertility:
A non-treated complication could cause an infertility problem (this was
frequent when abortion was illicit). But today, the risks are nearly non-existant.
Contraindication for abortion in our clinic: At the Clinique des
femmes, we will not take any risks with your health or security. This
is why certain women with particular problems will have to be referred
to a hospital for their abortion.
Note:
You are informed of these risks for legal reasons in order for you to give a
full and conscious consent as for any medical intervention.
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