My positive story of medical abortion at 9 weeks of pregnancy

I found out I was pregnant when I was around 7 weeks. After a lot of thought myself and some discussion with my boyfriend we were both in agreement that due to all the circumstances surrounding our situations we were not in a position to continue with the pregnancy. So I booked a doctors appointment to confirm the pregnancy then booked in with the areas termination clinic.

My visit there was very informative and the staff were very sensitive. Every option was explained to me and I was talked through every one of them before the doctor talked me through the next steps for contraception.

I was taken to the scan room so they could find out how far along i was and was then dated at 9 weeks. I had chosen not to look at the scan purposely as to not affect my thoughts. I did catch a glimpse of it but did not dwell on it too much. I was then taken back to the original room where my options were once again discussed with me and my boyfriend and we were left alone to talk through it.

There was absolutely no pressure to book for the termination at the time and the doctor was wonderful. We asked for the next available dates as I felt it would be wrong to keep going for too long. We managed to get a medical termination appointment for within the week and we decided that this was the best option for us.

I arrived a few days later for my first appointment. Again everything was explained to me about the procedure and I was talked through everything. I was then asked to double check the paperwork I had signed at my previous appointment and re-sign. I was also given the option to choose not to continue with the termination at this point.

The nurses then gave me the first tablet having previously explained that should I choose to attempt to continue the pregnancy after taking it they could not guarantee how successful it would be.

After taking the tablet I went home and had some slight pain but nothing that stopped me going about what I would normally be doing.

I returned to the hospital two days later at 8.30 with my boyfriend as support. We were shown to the room and a nurse came in and explained the procedure once more to me.

My boyfriend was asked to step out while they did the procedure. Nurses were very professional and supportive. I was given painkillers should I wish to take them and antibiotics to take when I could manage. I was left with a supply of bedpans for the bathroom, sick bowls and sanitary towels and absorbent sheets for the bed.

I was told to remain lying in bed for an hour as to not move the tablets and that any time I used a bedpan or if I needed anything to ring the buzzzer and a nurse would be in to sort it and take it away to monitor my progress, then my boyfriend was allowed back in.

I had some mild cramps just like a normal period for the first three hours but nothing was happening. I did start to feel very unwell towards the end of the three hours.

A nurse came in to give me my second dose which was taken orally. I suddenly felt very ill and was promptly sick into a sick bowl, I managed to keep the tablets under my tongue however and carried on with rhem until the dissolved.

After this set of tablets I began to be in a fair amount of pain and the nurses encouraged me to take some painkillers which I managed.

For the next three hours I was just in pain and not passing anything. Again three hours later after taking the third dose I was sick again but still managed to keep the tablets in my mouth. This was when the worst of the pain happened. But still wasn't passing anything.

I had managed to sleep on and off throughout the process somehow. Unfortunately my boyfriend had to leave and come back later so my friend swapped with him and this was no problem at all for the staff.

By about 5 pm my pain had subsided and I started to feel like I was having a period. For the next few hours I was only passing blood into the bedpan when I nipped to the loo.

I was given another dose at quarter to six and then another at quarter past nine. By this point I had no pain whatsoever and having been consistently informed of the situation by the wonderful nursing team was aware I would be in overnight.

My boyfriend was allowed back in to check on me late on before being sent away at 11 pm so I could rest.

The fifth dose I had been given at quarter past nine hadn't had any effect so the doctor was called to examine me and determine what the next step would be. When the doctor arrived to perform an internal exam the staff were wonderful.

On using the plastic tool to open up my cervix it appeared the tissue simply hadn't broken down enough for me to pass and so from there the doctor removed this for me.

This was not traumatic in the slightest and the support of the staff was a great help. They slid the bedsheets away from me in a dignified way so I wouldn't see and placed another under me. I was then covered up and a drip given to me on my hand in case of bleeding overnight or the possibility of a small operation in the morning. The nurse then freshened me up and encouraged me to sleep.

Two hours later she popped in again to do her checks and got me to go to the loo and use a bedpan but it was just some bleeding like a normal period. At this point it was decided that everything seemed normal and I was given something to eat and drink as they had me not have anything in case of surgery.

I was checked once again early morning and then moved to a shared room for breakfast. My boyfriend had been advised of what was going on the night previously and I was encouraged to keep him up to date and they had told him to come back at 9 am and we would see where I was at.

Thankfully after another check by the nurses I was given breakfast and allowed to go home with instructions on what to do if anything happened and several phone numbers to ring in case I needed any help, advice or someone to talk to.

I'm now feeling back to normal and I could not thank the staff enough for all they did for me. Just hopefully that will give anyone looking for some advice or if you are worried about anything not going to plan that the people there to take care of you will do just that. If you are worried ask as many questions as you need to, they're there to help you.