Frequently Asked Questions
If you have an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) – your procedure for an abortion is covered. There are some uninsured services that are not covered and not paid by OHIP. You have the option to pay a voluntary block fee or you may pay for each individual service at the time the service is provided. You have an option to decline purchase of any of the uninsured services without jeopardizing your access to provision of the insured services.
If you do not have an insurance plan or OHIP coverage; the abortion procedure can cost between $600 to $1200, depending on how long you have been pregnant for.
For more information about the abortion procedure visit our Surgical Abortion page
We recommend that you not have vaginal intercourse or insert anything into your vagina for 10 days to 2 weeks after the abortion. You can get pregnant very soon after an abortion. So, birth control is very important and a common concern for many women after an abortion procedure. We can help you with this or you can talk to your healthcare provider.
Abortion begins a new menstrual cycle. You should have your regular period in 4-6 weeks after the abortion.
You will rest in a recovery area where you will be monitored by a registered nurse for vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, bleeding, cramping, nausea, and mobility. You will be offered refreshments and you will receive written after care instructions along with a prescription for antibiotics.
We will also provide you with our after hours telephone number for you to call if you have any concerns.We recommend a follow up visit in 2-6 weeks after the procedure. You may come back to our clinic or go to your family physician.
Do not drive for 12 hours after the procedure.You can usually returned to work or other normal activities the next day. Do not swim, take a bath in a tub, douche or insert medicine in your vagina for one week.
An ‘In-Clinic’ abortion procedure is very safe. The surgical procedure is performed by specially trained doctors assisted by experienced registered nurses. Like with any surgical procedure there are some risks associated with abortion. The risks increase the longer you are pregnant.
Possible risks include:
- Blood clot in the uterus 1:1000
- Incomplete abortion (part of the pregnancy left inside the uterus) 0.5-1%
- Failure to end the pregnancy
- Infection 2-4%
- Injury to the cervix
- Injury to the uterus 1:1000
- Undetected ectopic pregnancy
- Very heavy bleeding 1:1000
Most often these complications are simple and easy to treat with medications or other treatments. Following our post procedure and follow up instructions will reduce the risk of long term complications. Call the clinic if you have any concerns.Our doctors and registered nurses have many years of experience in providing services to women undergoing the abortion procedure in Ontario.
You may have some bleeding immediately after your abortion. This is normal. You may pass a few clots about size of a quarter.
Every woman is different and she may experience different amount of bleeding such as:Bleeding and spotting that may last up to
- 2-3 weeks.Heavy bleeding for a few days.
- Bleeding that stops and starts again.
- It is also normal to have no bleeding after an abortion.
You may have concerns about how an abortion procedure will feel. Most women feel pain similar to menstrual cramps, for others it is more uncomfortable. Some women chose not to have any medications and they do well. We will offer a combination of medications (painkiller/sedation) to help you feel as comfortable as possible. Local anesthetic are usually used to numb the cervix. You may have cramps after an abortion; Advil or Tylenol will be offered to help with the cramps. We recommend that you relax for the rest of the day.
It is common for women to be anxious and nervous about having an abortion or any other surgical procedure. But most of us feel better if we know what to expect.
Our professional staff will talk with you and answer your questions. Please do not be shy to ask us any questions or concerns you have
You can feel confident in knowing that surgical abortions have a very high success rate.
The most common method is known as vacuum aspiration. Aspiration is usually used up to 16 weeks after a woman’s menstrual cycle. D & E (Dilation and Evacuation) is another kind of abortion and is performed later than 16 weeks of women’s menstrual cycle. Lastly, Medical Abortion* is used in early pregnancies up to 8 weeks after a woman’s last menstrual cycle; this type of abortion only requires the use of medication. * Medical Abortion not yet available at BWC
Abortion is legal and safe medical procedure that ends pregnancy.