2 medical abortions in a year
By anonymous on 19/03/2011
Within the past year I have had two abortions due to the progesterone only pill not working for me.My first abortion was with bpas and cost me around £500. I was able to get a consultation very quickly and on my first visit I had a scan, counselling, a pin prick blood test to see if I was rhesus positive or negative.
I felt very reassured at the clinic and didn't feel pressurised or judged.
I visited the clinic for my first pill and was explained the procedure, signed a form and took the pill. I was back in the next day and was given a pair of gloves and 6 pessaries to put up myself in the toilet. After doing so I was given a pack of antibiotics and codeine and sent home in a taxi.A couple of hours later I started passing clots, it felt as though my womb was almost contracting. The next day I was sore and it took about 2 weeks for the bleeding to cease.
My second abortion was on the nhs.
My period comes on the same day every month so I immediately knew I was pregnant. I went to a walk-in sexual health clinic and from there was transferred to a termination consultation.Time is of the essence with a medical abortion and if it's with the nhs it does seem to take forever to get appointments, my termination consultation was 2 weeks after my initial visit thus making me 6 weeks.
The experience was completely different to the bpas journey. I firstly I had a scan, then a cervical smear which was uncomfortable, then a blood test - a lot more in depth than the bpas consultation. I was then given two appointments for 5 days later and was told to prepare to be at hospital all day on my second appointment. The first day I arrived and had my blood pressure taken, talked through the procedure and then given the tablet. I had to stay for 45 minutes and then was allowed to leave. Within the day and a half before my second treatment I experienced slight nausea and bleeding. I turned up at the hospital at 7.30am was taken to my bed and given a gown to dress in. The nurse then came to my bedside and explained the procedure. I was given pain killers via my rectum and then the pessaries were administered.
To say my last abortion I was allowed to do this myself the whole process was bizarre. I then was given a pair of bandage knickers and a huge pad and was told to lay for an hour. I slept from 7.40 to 11.25 and felt some slight pain so grabbed my bed pan and headed to the loo. I passed the pregnancy there and then and called for the nurse.
I recommend not to look at the contents of your bed pan, it's not pretty.
I called for the nurse, cried a bit and then got back into bed. The nurse then came to tell mr I had passed the pregnancy and that I would be examined at 12.30. The examination was the same as a cervical smear minus the swabs and once the nurse was happy I was given the contraception injection and was allowed to go home.The nhs will not allow you to go home alone and I wouldn't recommend being on your own for such a procedure. I called my boyfriend after passing my pregnancy and he sat with me and took me home. Both procedures were not easy but with each the staff on hand were so supportive and caring. The nhs seemed to be more thorough in safety and making sure the abortion was a success whereas bpas were better in the speed of appointments and privacy however by having smear tests I found out I had abnormal smears and had some antibiotics. I only had my nhs abortion today so I'm still recovering but what ever you decide, good luck.
