Abortions can be done either as a procedure or with pills (medication), depending on your preference and how far along you are in your pregnancy.

Abortion in-clinic Procedure

With an abortion procedure, the process begins very similarly to when you have a pap smear. The doctor will do a brief pelvic exam and then insert a speculum into the vagina in order to view the cervix. Your doctor will numb and gradually dilate your cervix in order to insert a narrow flexible tube into your uterus. This tube will then remove the pregnancy tissue with suction.The suction portion takes about a minute and the entire procedure takes around 5 to 10 minutes. You could be in the clinic for a few hours with the required preparation, waiting and time spent in recovery. Some clinics offer pain or sedation medications to help you feel more comfortable, before, during and/or after the procedure. Be sure to ask the clinic before you arrive about your options for sedation.

The length and cost of the procedure increases the further along you are.

Not every clinic offers in-clinic procedures, and the longer you've been pregnant, the fewer providers will be available. You can filter your options on ineedana.com if you know this is your preferred option.

For more information check out:

• Planned Parenthood's more detailed description of the procedure

• Whole Woman's Health description of what to expect after

• Stories from people who've had abortions
  

Medication Abortion

After the 24 hour waiting period you will be administered one pill of mifepristone at your doctor's office. This pill is designed to stop the growth of the pregnancy and prepare your body to pass pregnancy tissue. You will then be given pills called misoprostol, to take at home 24-48 hours after the first pill. These pills will cause you to have bleeding and cramping as you pass the pregnancy at home.Some clinics don't offer medication abortions, so if you're interested in this method, make sure the clinic where you schedule your first appointment offers this option. For more information check out:

• Planned Parenthood's description of the abortion pill

• Stories from people who've had abortions