FAQs

How far along can I be?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
Up to 8 weeks (56 days) for best success (95-97%).	6 to 14 weeks. Less than 6 weeks may increase the chance of failed abortion.

How long does it take?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
At least 2 visits to Hope Clinic during a 9-14 day process. Take mifepristone on day one. Insert misoprostol in your cheek on day 3.. It usually takes several hours for the abortion to occur. Follow-up visit on day 14 to 21 at Hope Clinic.	One 3-4 hour visit to the clinic. The abortion procedure takes 5 to l0 minutes. Follow-up visit at your doctor’s or clinic, or the provider’s in 2-3 weeks.

How painful is it?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
From mild to very strong cramping off and on throughout the abortion. Pain pills help.	From mild to very strong cramping during the abortion. Pain medication is available during and afterwards.

How much will I bleed?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
Heavy bleeding and passing clots is common during the abortion. Afterwards, lighter bleeding is common from 9 to 14 days or longer.	Usually light bleeding from 1 to 7 days, but may continue off and on up to 2 weeks.

How much does it cost?

A. Fee Schedules (click here)

Can the abortion fail?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
5% or less failure rate. Success rate varies with the length of pregnancy and protocol used. When it fails, a surgical abortion is necessary.	Less than 1% of the time it fails and needs to be repeated.

Is it safe, and can I still have children afterwards?

Abortion Pill (Mifeprex or RU 486)	Surgical Abortion (Vacuum Aspiration)
Both medications have been formally studied and used safely. Possible complications are rare. Childbearing ability is not affected, barring rare serious complications.	Surgical abortion has been formally studied and used safely since 1973. First trimester abortion has less than 1% complication rate, and is at least l0 times safer than childbirth. Childbearing ability is not affected, barring rare serious complications.

What are the advantages?

Abortion Pill
(Mifeprex or RU 486)

Surgical Abortion
(Vacuum Aspiration)

It may seem more natural, like a miscarriage.

No shots, anesthesia, instruments, or vacuum aspirator machine, unless it fails.

The pregnancy can be ended earlier than with surgical abortion.

Being at home instead of a clinic may seem more comforting and private.

Any support person can be there during the abortion process.

It’s quick, over in a few minutes.

It’s highly successful.

There’s less bleeding than with either of the other methods.

There’s less time spent cramping than with either of the other methods.

Medical staff is present.

A counselor is usually available before, during, and afterwards for emotional support.

It can be done farther along in the pregnancy than with either the Abortion Pill.

What are the disadvantages?

Abortion Pill
(Mifeprex or RU 486)

Surgical Abortion
(Vacuum Aspiration)

It’s a longer process than surgical.

Bleeding can be very heavy and lasts longer than with surgical.

If hemorrhage occurs, traveling either to the provider or a hospital is necessary.

Cramping can be severe and usually lasts longer than with surgical.

Two visits to the provider are necessary, and possibly more. It fails more often than surgical, but has a higher success rate than the Abortion Pill.

It can not end a tubal pregnancy.

A clinician must insert instruments inside the uterus.

Anesthetics and drugs to manage pain during the procedure may cause side effects.

There are possible complications, although in less than 1% of cases.

The woman has less control over the abortion process and who is with her.

The vacuum aspirator makes a noise.

It can’t be done as early in the pregnancy as with the Abortion Pills.

It can not end a tubal pregnancy.

Will I see the ultrasound ?

A. Yes, if you would like to. If you would like to keep a picture of the ultrasound, let the ultrasound technician know.

Is abortion dangerous?

A. It is safer to have an abortion than it is to go through labor and delivery. A first trimester abortion is 11.8 times safer than childbirth. A second trimester abortion is also safer than childbirth. Hope Clinic's complication rate is less than 1% (.002%).

Is it dangerous to have more than one abortion?

A. The studies are mixed concerning 2 or more abortions. Some say that there is slight increased risk of miscarriage in the future and others say as long as a vacuum aspiration procedure is used, multiple abortions do not create any physical problems.

Do abortions cause psychological problems?

A. Psychological problems after an abortion are rare. Most women feel relieved. The American Psychological Association has reviewed studies on abortion and found that the “wealth of data available suggests that most women will not suffer lasting psychological trauma.” Any time major life decisions are made however, there are people who regret their decisions. This why we feel that unbiased counseling prior to an abortion is so very important. We do not want women to regret their decision later.

Is the abortion painful for the baby ?

A. There is no scientific evidence that a fetus experiences pain early in pregnancy. To feel pain, A fetus would need special hormones. In animals, these complex chemicals develop in the last third of gestation. We know of no evidence that humans are different.

But brain waves are present before 6 weeks of gestation, Right?

A. Electrical activity is present before 6 weeks gestation. By brain waves, one usually means the kinds of regular electrical patterns that can be observed in adults. These do not exist in the early fetus. Until
roughly 30 weeks, you don’t see the kind of regular patterns that are characteristic of EEG’s in adults.

What is done with the fetus ?

A. The Hope Clinic for Women is licensed by the state of Illinois which requires us to send all fetal tissue to a lab for analysis. This can help us identify medical conditions the woman may not be aware of (example: molar pregnancy, which is when a pregnancy starts normally and then becomes a form of cancer).

Why does it cost more when you are farther along?

A. The further along in the pregnancy you are, the more medication you receive, the more medical supplies are used and more time is spent by the staff and doctor. While complications are still rare, they are more likely the further along you are. A physician with more skill is required for later procedures.

Will I still be able to have children?

A. Yes! Unless there’s really unusual, major complications you will have absolutely no problem getting pregnant again and carrying to term. Major complications are very rare. At Hope, even minor ones only happen in less than 1% of the cases.

Will I see the fetus? (Can I if I want to?)

A. No you will not see the fetus. The final decision is up to the physician.

How long do I have to be off work/school?

A. Most women return to work or school the day after the procedure. If your normal activities include physical labor or heavy lifting and you are in the second trimester, the physician may write you a light duty excuse for one week.

Can my mom or boyfriend go back with me?

A. It is clinic policy that only staff and patients are allowed in the surgical area.

When can I eat?

A. You may eat as soon as you leave the clinic after the abortion.

Can my doctor tell if I've had an abortion?

A. Usually not.

Are there protesters?

A. Like abortion clinics all across the country, we typically have picketers, particularly on Saturdays. They can not come onto our parking lot. Sometimes they will pray quietly and sometimes they will shout some pretty hateful things to stop people from walking into our building. We have wonderful volunteer escorts who will walk with you from your car to our door. We also have a security guard present.

What does D & E stand for?

A. D&E stands for Dilation and Evacuation and it is used in the second three moths of pregnancy. When using the procedure there is the possibility that dismemberment will occur. The majority of abortions are performed in the first trimester using a Vacuum Aspiration procedure.

I’ve heard that the vacuum used in an abortion is 29 times stronger than a vacuum cleaner. Is this true?

A. That is absolutely not true.

How long after the abortion might I still have a positive pregnancy test?

A. For some women who were 24 weeks in the pregnancy, it could take as long as six weeks for the hormone levels to go back to normal.

Do you do pregnancy testing?

A. Yes, we offer pregnancy testing. To insure accurate results you must be at least two weeks late for your period. You do not need to bring in a first morning urine specimen, our test is quite sensitive.

Can I get a 2-week check up at Hope?

A. If you had your abortion at Hope we can schedule you for a check up.

Do you do vasectomies?

A. We did vasectomies at one time but since moving into our new building we have not been able to accommodate a doctor’s schedule to allow us to do them. We can refer you to a local physician if you are interested.