TYPES OF ABORTION:
Second Trimester Surgical Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
From 13 to 24 weeks, the second trimester abortion our doctors perform is called the D&E or Dilation and Evacuation procedure. Appointments are made for 2 or 3 consecutive days. On the first day, an ultrasound (sonogram) is performed to determine the size of the fetus. Then, the abortion procedure is begun by numbing the cervix with injections and inserting dilators into the cervix. Overnight these dilators gently expand, opening the entrance to the uterus. The next day, the cervix is again numbed, the dilators are removed, and the doctor uses special instruments to evacuate (remove) the pregnancy from uterus, followed by suction to remove the last blood and tissue. In pregnancies over 22 weeks, additional dilators are inserted on the second day and evacuation occurs on the third day. The medical procedure lasts about 10-15 minutes.
After the procedure, depending on which optional pain medications you have chosen, you are able to leave the clinic within 30 minutes to two hours. The first day appointment takes three to four hours and subsequent appointments take 1-2 hours. You may return to work or school the next day.
At the discretion of the doctor, some D&E procedures in the 13-14 week range may be performed on one day. If distance from the clinic makes it difficult for you to be there on consecutive days, please ask about a one-day procedure.
