Out-of-state clinics anticipate a surge in patients due to the law, which has increased the average miles a Texan must drive one-way to seek an abortion from 12 miles to , according to the Guttmacher Institute , a reproductive rights organization. Dixon said some women she's spoken to don't have the financial means or the access to child care to travel out of state for an abortion. I'm actually angry because this is an attack on people's constitutional rights to seek these services.
And it's between them and their doctors," Dixon said with tears in her eyes. Dixon has been working at Planned Parenthood in Houston for 13 years. This is the "worst" she has "ever seen it. She said she fears this law will lead to high-risk attempts to self-abort pregnancies.
The clinic has already seen at least one woman this week who tried to terminate her pregnancy herself after the Texas law went into effect, she said. Counseling may help you to decide what is best for you. If you're comfortable, you can start by talking with your doctor. Family planning clinics also offer counseling to help you decide what is best for you. You may also want to talk with someone close to you who understands how pregnancy and raising a child would affect your life.
Carefully think through your choices, which are to:. It will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are. After 10 weeks, surgical abortion is usually the only option. The risks from having an abortion in the second trimester are higher than in the first trimester. Abortions done early in the pregnancy can be done by your doctor or gynecologist. Some nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants may also be trained to do some types of abortions.
Abortion services are most likely to be offered at university hospitals and family planning clinics. Some states in the U. Talk to your closest Planned Parenthood or other family planning clinic to learn more about restrictions in your state. In some states, women younger than 18 will need a parent's permission. A minor can get a court order that will allow an abortion without a parent's consent. Abortions are rarely done after 24 weeks of pregnancy during the late second trimester and entire third trimester.
Many states have restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks. Abortions done by doctors are very safe. Less than 1 out of women have a serious problem from an abortion. The safest timing for an abortion is usually during the first trimester.
This is when a low-risk medicine or vacuum aspiration procedure can be used. The most widely used methods for abortion do not prevent a woman from becoming pregnant later. Keep in mind that you can get pregnant in the weeks right after an abortion.
This is a good time to start using birth control that works well and fits your lifestyle. It will probably take you 1 to 3 weeks to heal and feel better after an abortion. You should not have sex during this time. But when you do have sex again, be sure to use a condom for several weeks or for as long as your doctor tells you to.
This will help to prevent infection. Exams and tests are used to diagnose a pregnancy and to check for any health conditions you may have that need special consideration. Regardless of whether you know that you would continue a pregnancy or have an abortion, your evaluation will include a medical history, a physical exam, and some laboratory tests.
A physical exam before an abortion includes:. Laboratory tests before an abortion include:. An ultrasound may be done to check your uterus size and shape and to make sure the pregnancy is in the uterus. A transvaginal ultrasound done in the first trimester is the most accurate method of learning how long you have been pregnant.
Medical abortion is the use of medicines to end a pregnancy. Depending on the medicine used, a medical abortion can be done up to about 10 weeks of pregnancy. Medicines currently available in the United States for inducing abortion are:.
See the What to Think About section of this topic for a comparison of medical abortion and surgical abortion. A surgical abortion ends a pregnancy by surgically removing the contents of the uterus. Different procedures are used for surgical abortion, depending on how many weeks of pregnancy have passed. Care before and after a surgical abortion includes a physical exam and lab tests, education about what to expect, self-care instructions, symptoms that mean you should call your doctor, and birth control planning.
See the What to Think About section of this topic for a comparison between medical abortion and surgical abortion. Your abortion options are affected by your medical history, how many weeks pregnant you are, and what options are available in your region.
Not all medical or surgical choices for an abortion are available in all parts of the United States or around the world. In the U. The following table lists some of the differences between the most commonly used medical and surgical abortion procedures.
Does not require general anesthesia though it can be used. Local anesthesia , with or without a calming sedative, is typical. In extremely rare cases, leads to severe infection and death about 1 out of , , slightly higher rate than after surgical abortion.
Pain associated with a medical or surgical abortion ranges from mild to severe and depends on each woman's physical and emotional condition. Some fetal birth defects or medical problems are not commonly diagnosed until the second trimester, when most routine screening tests are done.
There are fewer abortion options during the second trimester. Research suggests that the hormonal changes during pregnancy may be protective and reduce the risk of breast cancer. In the past, there has been concern that an abortion might interrupt these protective hormonal changes and possibly increase the risk of breast cancer. But more recent, carefully done studies have led experts to conclude that there is no link between having an abortion and breast cancer.
Your health professional will give you information about what to expect after an abortion. Normal symptoms that most often occur include:. Follow your doctor's instructions on what to do at home. Call your doctor now if you have any of these symptoms after an abortion:.
Call your doctor for an appointment if you have had any of these symptoms after a recent abortion:. It's possible to become pregnant in the weeks right after an abortion procedure. Author: Healthwise Staff. If your health coverage is through a Providence Health Plan purchased through the state exchange or a Providence Large Group Health Plan provided through a Washington State employer, the Department of Health will pay for your abortion services.
Everyone has the right to control the information they share about themselves. Washington State recognizes that many people prefer or need to maintain strict privacy about sensitive health care services. In Washington, a state law gives you extra privacy protection for sensitive health care services, including abortion. State-regulated health insurance plans send all communication about abortions to the email or physical address the person receiving the abortion specifies.
These health plans may not disclose your information, even to the policyholder, without your express consent. You need to tell your insurance company how to communicate with you. To do this you can print, complete, sign, and send this Confidentiality Request Form PDF to your health insurance company.
You can also call your insurance company to request confidentiality. See the Office of the Insurance Commissioner webpage for more information. The type of abortion available to you might depend on the length of your pregnancy and other factors. A general description of each type is below. If you are facing a pregnancy decision, you might find the Pregnancy Options Workbook helpful.
If you are having a hard time after an abortion experience, you might find the Abortion Resolution Workbook helpful. Visit our COVID page for the latest updates, vaccine information , testing locations and data dashboard.
Sexual and Reproductive Health. Section: Abortion Abortion. Increasing Access to Reproductive Choice. Birth Control and Emergency Contraception. Clinic Locations.
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