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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
During your appointment, you will have a one-on-one session with a
patient coordinator to discuss your questions or concerns prior to
surgery. Here are some of the more common questions women ask.
1. Is this confidential? Yes, our services are
completely confidential. Click here Privacy
Rights for more information.
2. Do I need parental consent? No, California law does not
require minors to have parental consent.
3. How do I schedule an appointment? Please
call our office at (510) 268-3720 to schedule an appointment.
Our phone hours are:
| Monday |
8:30
- |
5:00 |
| Tuesday
through Friday |
8:30
- |
5:30
|
| Saturday |
8:00
- |
11:00
|
Appointments are readily available. You can usually schedule within
one week from your call.
4. What kind of insurance do you accept? We
accept cash, Kaiser with a referral, Medi-Cal and some private insurance
with prior verification.
5. Can I bring my children with me to the office? We
do not allow children in the office. The appointment is long, and
waiting is hard on everyone. In addition, some women find it upsetting
to be near young children immediately before their abortion.
6. Will there be protestors? There is no reason
to expect protestors. The office does not have control over their
presence or absence . If protesters are present, Family Planning Specialists
makes every effort to have clinic escorts available for patients outside.
These escorts wear bright orange vests marked “FPS”.
7. Is it painful? If you receive general anesthesia,
you will be completely asleep during the procedure and will not feel
anything at all. If you receive local anesthesia, you are awake during
the procedure and may feel strong,
uncomfortable cramping. However, some women feel very little discomfort.
Abortion under local anesthesia feels differently to different women.
8. Will I be able to get pregnant again? An
abortion performed without complications will not affect your ability
to get pregnant again in the future.
9. How long does the procedure take? An abortion procedure
takes the doctor 10 to 15 minutes to perform. Your total appointment
will take three to five hours, and may be split over two days.
10. How will I feel after the abortion? A variety
of feelings are normal following an abortion. You may feel relieved
that you made a difficult decision and the abortion is behind you.
You may experience a sense of loss and feelings of sadness. It usually
helps to talk about your feelings with someone who is close to you
and can offer support. We can also provide referrals to counselors
upon request.
11. What symptoms will I experience after the abortion?
Most women will have bleeding and cramping following the abortion.
These symptoms vary greatly depending on the individual and how far
along you were in your pregnancy. They may last anywhere from a few
days to three or four weeks. Most pregnancy symptoms (such as nausea,
sore breasts or low energy) are gone within one week.
12. Is it safe? What are the
possible risks or complications of an abortion? Although the
risk of having a complication during an abortion is very low, possible
complications include excessive bleeding, retained tissue, missed
pregnancy, perforation and infection. “Retained tissue”
means tissue that remains in the uterus after the surgery is over.
Symptoms of retained tissue might be excessive bleeding, large blood
clots and intense cramping. While uncommon, this complication is treatable
by reaspiration (repeating the procedure to remove any residual matter).
“Missed pregnancy” means that one can remain pregnant
after the procedure is over. In other words, it is a failure to terminate
a pregnancy. Although this is unusual, it can be corrected by repeating
the procedure. “Perforation” means a tear in the cervix
or puncture in the wall of the uterus. It is a rare complication that
can vary from mild to severe. Perforation is highly unlikely to occur
in a setting where surgeries are performed by experienced gynecologists.
About .01 in every 100,000 (one in a million) women die during or
after a surgical abortion at 8 weeks gestation or less. About one
in every 100,000 (one in one hundred thousand) women die during or
after a medical abortion, miscarriage, or full-term pregnancy. In
other words, a surgical abortion at 8 weeks or less is ten times safer
than carrying a pregnancy full-term.
13. What do I do if I think I am having a problem after
surgery? If you think you are having a problem, call our office
at (510) 268-3720. You can reach us in an emergency 24 hours a day.
14. Do you offer follow-up care? A routine follow-up examination
is not necessary. However, if you have any problems or concerns related
to the abortion procedure or recovery we urge you to contact Family
Planning Specialists for an evaluation as soon as possible.
15. When will I get my period again? Most women
will have a period four to eight weeks after surgery.
16. When will I be able to have sex again? If
you have had a second-trimester procedure (12-21.6 weeks), you should
abstain from intercourse for three weeks. In fact, to prevent an infection,
you shouldn’t insert anything into your vagina during this time.
This includes tampons, douching, or submerging yourself in water—no
swimming, baths or hot tubs. If you have had a first trimester (4.5—12
weeks) surgical or medical abortion, you should abstain from these
activities for two weeks.
17. When can I return to normal activity? You may return to
normal activity when you feel ready. This may take a couple of days
to a week. We do recommend that you restrict any strenuous activity
or lifting over 10 pounds for one week.
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