Unplanned pregnancies are common and occur far more than people realise – at least half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and one in five women will choose to have an abortion. This is not an easy decision to make and can be an emotionally distressing time, but it is a personal choice which is influenced by a number of factors, from the woman’s age to her ability to raise a child, or simply the fact that the pregnancy was not a planned one. Ultimately, no-one can help you reach the decision to opt for an abortion – there are counsellors or doctors who can talk through your options with you though, as well as your friends and family who will be able to support you through this time. More than 90 percent of abortions are carried out before 13 weeks of the pregnancy term, whilst over 98 percent are carried out before 20 weeks. After 24 weeks, if there are exceptional circumstances, an abortion can still be carried out – these include any significant risk to the mother, or if the child were to be born with a serious disability.
Your GP can refer you for an abortion – if you’re referred through the NHS, this procedure will be free. As with all medical procedures, your abortion will be confidential, even if you’re under 16. You also don’t have to tell your partner, as they have no legal rights where abortion is concerned. Depending on where you live, your referral time will vary but you shouldn’t have to wait more than two weeks from the time of your referral to your abortion date. If you need to have an abortion for medical reasons, then this will be sooner. Depending on the stage of your pregnancy, you will either be given medication to incur a miscarriage or you will have to have surgery to remove the foetus. Your GP or nurse will discuss this process with you – whichever form of abortion you have, you will experience some discomfort or period-like pain. This is completely normal, and it will depend on what stage you’re at in the pregnancy as to how uncomfortable it will be. It is perfectly safe though.
Complications at the time of abortion are very rare, and less likely to occur the earlier on the abortion is carried out. For example, excessive bleeding or haemorrhage occurs in around one in every 1,000 abortions, though this increases to four in every 1,000 in abortions carried out after 20 weeks. Additionally, damage to the cervix occurs in less than 10 in every 1,000 surgical abortions. As with any procedure, there are risks attached but your GP or nurse can go through these with you at your consultation.
Socially, there is some stigma attached to abortion – this varies depending on where you go and the religious and moral beliefs of the people there. Some places are more accepting of this being a personal choice than others, but this is entirely dependent on where you live. This is still a taboo subject and is difficult to talk about openly. Many women feel judged or pressured by the opinions of others where this subject is concerned, as well as feeling criticised for being sexually active and getting pregnant. Furthermore, they feel self-critical if they decide to have an abortion, feeling as thought they’ve failed in some way – it is considered a no-win situation, and there is no way of alleviating this. It comes down to personal choice and what is right for you at the time.
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