How Much Is an Abortion?

How Much Is an Abortion?

You can safely and legally terminate a pregnancy through an abortion. There are 2 available methods of aborting a pregnancy in the first trimester. There is medical abortion (abortion with pills) which requires you to take pills that will terminate the pregnancy and there is aspiration abortion (suction or surgical abortion) that involves insertion of medical tools in the womb to remove the fetus. Wondering how much an abortion costs? Read on and find out.

How Much Is an Abortion?
The cost of an abortion depends on how far along the pregnancy is. General estimates are given by the National Abortion Federation. Early in the first trimester it costs around $350-$500. As the pregnancy grows, the cost will also increase. If the pregnancy is past 20 weeks, the abortion will cost a minimum of $1000, if not several thousand dollars. To secure an abortion you might also need to travel, so transport costs should be factor in the total cost as well.

This following charge example will give you an estimated answer to “How much is an abortion?”

Pregnancy test: Free	Options counseling (inclusive of ultrasound and option): $100.00	Medical abortion 0-9 weeks: $440.00
Surgical abortion 0-11 weeks: $440.00	Surgical abortion 11-15 weeks: $550.00	Surgical abortion 16-17 weeks: $650.00
Surgical abortion 18 weeks: $1,000.00	Surgical abortion 19-20 weeks: $1350.00	Surgical abortion 21-22 weeks: $2,000.00

Different Types of Abortion
Learn About Abortion Restriction
An abortion restriction policy has been enacted in 41 states. It restricts abortion at different stages of the pregnancy. For more information about this clickHERE

Medical Abortion

Mifepristone (the abortion pill) is taken at the doctor’s office or at the clinic. Most women are ok after taking the pill though some feel nauseous. A second pill is taken 6-72 hours later at home. The pill is taken vaginally or buccally (place mifepristone in your cheek and let it dissolve) depending on the doctor’s instructions. The abortion process begins between the first and fourth hour after taking the pill. You will experience cramps and heavy bleeding for a number of hours. An appointment will be set a week later to ensure that the pregnancy is completely terminated.

Effectiveness: 97% of the timesit’s successful. When you go for your scheduled appointment you will know whether the process was complete and you are well. In the case that it fails, you will need to have an aspiration abortion performed.

Surgical Abortion

In addition to knowing “how much is an abortion”, it’s also helpful to know how surgical abortion is done. This type of abortion is performed at the clinic. The procedure takes 2-10 minutes only. The pregnancy is terminated using tools inserted in your vagina and uterus by the doctor. There are 2 types of surgical abortions:

Aspiration abortion

The doctor will first examine your uterus. You will then be given pain medicine or sedation, making you awake but relaxed. A speculum is inserted in your vagina and a numbing injection can be administered near the cervix. Dilators can be used to stretch open your cervix. Medication can also be used to open your cervix with or without the dilators. To prevent infections from occurring, antibiotics are given. A tube is passed through the cervix and into your womb. A suction machine or hand held suction tool is used to gently empty the uterus. In some cases a curette is used to get rid of any tissue lining the uterus. It is also used to check if the uterus is empty.

Dilation and evacuation

The doctor first examines your uterus. You are then given pain medication, sedation or IV medication for your comfort. A speculum is inserted in your vagina. Absorbent dilators are inserted in your cervix. They will absorb the fluid and grow larger. This will slowly open up your cervix. Antibiotics will be given to prevent infections. If the procedure is being done in the later trimesters of your pregnancy, an injection will be administered through your abdomen to stop the fetus’ heartbeat. You also get a numbing injection near or in your cervix. Medical tools and a suction instrument are used to gently empty your uterus.

Effectiveness: you can be confident that these procedures work in most cases. You can go for a check-up with your doctor after the procedure.

How to Choose
After you get a clear number on how much is an abortion either surgical or medical, consider the following advantages and disadvantages to make your final decision:

	Medical Abortion	Surgical Abortion
Advantages	Safe and effective for early pregnancies Avoid instruments, anesthesia and vacuum aspiration unless it is unsuccessful. An injection might be needed if you are RH-ve and a vaginal ultra sound It is more private and comfortable since the actual abortion happens at home.	Predictable and quick, only takes a few minutes Safe and effective for pregnancies older than 5 weeks or even older pregnancies Less cramping and bleeding for a short period Done by a doctor accompanied by medical and counselling stuff Use of less medication compared to medical abortion
Disadvantages	It has uncertainties – when will you start bleeding Bleeding can be very heavy and last longer than in a surgical abortion Cramping can be severe and prolonged compared to a surgical abortion You need 2 or more visits Compared to surgical abortion the failure rate is higher	Instruments must be inserted in the uterus and the vagina Drugs and anesthetics used can cause side effects Complications might come up but they are rare It is not suitable for early pregnancies depending on the clinic and the doctor It cannot terminate an Ectopic Pregnancy
Who Should Not Use It？	If the pregnancy is more than 7 weeks You are using blood thinners If you are allergic to some drugs If you have blood clotting problems If you have an active renal or liver disease If you have serious anemia If you have uncontrolled seizures If you have inflammatory bowel disease	If you are allergic to anesthetic or some drugs If you have medical conditions you need the procedure to be done in a hospital.
Length of Pregnancy	0-10 weeks	0-12 weeks