Mifepristone
- Medical Termination of Pregnancy
You
may bring one adult supporter with you if you wish to do so. For
late medical terminations your supporter will be asked to wait
in the waiting areas. If you have children, please make arrangements
for them to be cared for at home when you visit the clinic.
First
Visit
On arrival you will be seen by the administration staff to ensure
that all your records are in order. A blood sample will be taken (if
this has not already been done) and a vaginal examination or scan
to confirm pregnancy and gestation (how many weeks you are). If
your pregnancy is less than nine weeks it is very important to
arrive with a full bladder, and not go to the toilet until advised
by clinic staff. It is more difficult to detect an early pregnancy
without the bladder being full.
After being admitted,
a nurse will show you to a room and confirm your medical details,
check your blood pressure, temperature and pulse, and discuss
your treatment with you.
You will be given a
Mifepristone tablet to swallow with some water. If you have not had
breakfast we will offer you tea and biscuits to prevent you feeling sick.
Before leaving the
clinic, you will be informed of your next appointment and who
to contact if you have any queries or problems.
During Treatment You
Must Not
- Drink alcohol
- Smoke
- Take aspirin (If
in doubt, ask a chemist or check with the clinic)
Prior to your second
visit, you may start to bleed and experience period type pains.
In most cases this is only slight and nothing to worry about.
(Do not use tampons). However, there is a small chance that your
bleeding may become excessive and you may experience some pain.
If you are worried at any time, please phone the clinic on: 0161
487 2660 or the nurses on call number 07802 782 650.
Following your first
visit, you will be asked to return to the clinic 2 days later.
It is very important that you keep this appointment.
Second
Visit
Have a light breakfast on the morning of your second visit prior
to your return to the clinic; we suggest tea and toast, and a drink
of water during the morning. You will be escorted to your room
and any symptoms that you may have experienced during the previous
two days will be documented and discussed with you. If all has
been well, your treatment will continue.
Misoprostol tablets
will either be inserted into your vagina, or administered orally
by a doctor/nurse. These tablets will help your body expel the
pregnancy; you will therefore start to bleed and experience
period type pains shortly afterwards. All women vary in their reaction to this treatment.
Some have excessive bleeding and quite a lot of pain, while others
have minimal bleeding and mild pain. Most women are somewhere
in between.
If you are between
16 and 20 weeks pregnant, you will be given further doses of tablets
orally, repeated every 3 to 4 hours. You may suffer from diarrhoea,
sickness, headache, dizziness and hot flushes/chills. There is
usually no need to worry about these, as medication is available
where required.
For earlier pregnancies,
you may need to stay in the clinic for approximately 6 hours
following the insertion of the tablet. However, most patients are able to
leave the clinic shortly after receiving the misoprostol and complete the abortion at home.
With larger pregnancies,
this procedure takes longer and an overnight stay is required.
In some instances,
the abortion may not be complete. If this is the case, you may
require a small operation, (dilatation and curettage) to ensure
that the womb is empty.
What
Happens Next? ….
Third
Visit - (only necessary if advised to attend by nurse)
On discharge,
you will be given an aftercare information sheet and a follow-up
appointment (if advised by the nurse) for one to two weeks ahead. We may
recommend a further ultrasound scan to confirm whether the abortion is complete.
It
is very important that you attend for your third visit if you
are advised by the nurse to do so.
