Women have three different surgical abortion options that can be performed during the second trimester. These procedures are completed within one day but side effects, such as cramping or bleeding, may last for several days following the surgery. Not all abortion procedures are legal in the United States. A pregnant woman should discuss her options with her medical care provider.
Dilation & Curettage
Dilation and curettage, or D&C, is one type of surgical abortion that can be performed at the end of the first trimester through the 15th week of the second trimester. To begin the process, a doctor will numb the cervix and possibly give the woman a medication to help her relax. A long, looped shaped knife, called a curette, is inserted into the uterus to scrape the lining, placenta and fetus loose. A suction device, called a cannula, is then used to suction the rest of the materials from the woman's uterus. The surgery takes about 10 minutes but a woman may remain in the medical facility for up to five hours for observation.
Dilation & Evacuation
Dilation and evacuation can be performed after 15 weeks of pregnancy and before 21 weeks. A woman will have a synthetic dilator inserted into the cervix. This device emits hormones that help open the cervix, much like what happens during labor. When the woman arrives for the procedure, the doctor will use a device, called a tenaculum, to keep the uterus in place. At this time cone-shaped rods of increasing size are inserted to dilate or continue dilating the cervix. A cannula is then inserted to suction the fetus and pregnancy tissues away from the uterine lining. A curette will then be used to scrape any remaining tissues before suctioning takes place to remove the remnants of the pregnancy. The procedure takes about 30 minutes.
Induction Abortion
An induction abortion occurs much like an induction of labor in pregnancy. A chemical solution of salt water, urea or potassium chloride is administered to terminate the fetus. Then the woman's cervix is dilated with prostaglandins, a hormone that encourages the cervix to dilate. Pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, causes contractions to cause the baby to be delivered through the vagina. This procedure is rarely used unless there is a medical problem in the fetus or the mother.
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