This method of treatment is only recommended for patients undergoing termination of pregnancy up to 63 days duration (except when termination is due to foetal abnormality). This page will provide you with information about the procedure and what to expect afterwards. Please read it carefully. Ask the Doctor or Nurse in the clinic to clarify anything that you don’t understand.
Making the decision to go ahead with a termination of pregnancy is never easy and we will try to make your time in hospital as comfortable as possible. You need to be certain that you want to proceed with the termination before you take the tablet. You will be given a tablet in the clinic, then the medication will be given to you to complete once home.
Day 1
You will be given a tablet to swallow in the clinic – and you will have to remain in the clinic for 30 minutes afterwards. If you vomit within 1 hour of taking the tablet, you must phone Jasmine Ward as you may require a repeat dose.
If you can drive, you may drive to the department alone. Patients may make their own way home and do not need any one with them overnight.
Day 3
Attend Jasmine Ward and plan to stay all day. Please bring night clothes, wash things, sanitary towels and all current medication. A vaginal pessary will be inserted. You are able to eat and drink throughout the procedure but please avoid carbonated drinks, fried foods and chocolate as they may make you feel sick. We normally advise people to have toast for lunch but a meal will be ordered for you if you wish.
You will probably notice an increase in abdominal discomfort and this can be strong and cramping. You will be given pain relief as required. This may be either in tablet form or an injection.
You will also experience vaginal bleeding which will become heavier and you will need to wear sanitary pads, not tampons. Often women feel the need to pass urine and the products of conception (pregnancy) are passed at the same time. Because of this, we ask that every time you use the toilet you place a cardboard liner in the toilet and mark your name on it, so that we can check afterwards if you have passed pregnancy tissue.
Once you have passed the products of conception, the nurse who is caring for you will advise you. You are required to stay a minimum of 2 hours after the procedure is complete. This way vaginal bleeding and your overall condition can be monitored to ensure that you are fit for discharge.
You will be told if the swabs that were taken in the initial clinic appointment require any treatment.
Everyone is required to take a home pregnancy test three weeks after the procedure to ensure they are no longer pregnant. If the pregnancy test is positive contact your GP or the Emergency Department at Yeovil District Hospital urgently.
It is very important that you avoid alcohol and cigarettes for 4 days from when you begin treatment. You must also avoid aspirin, brufen or mefenamic acid for two weeks.
You can expect to bleed quite moderately for approximately a fortnight after the procedure. Sanitary pads should be used for this bleeding. You should experience only very mild discomfort and pain medication such as paracetamol should be adequate. You should have at least 48 hours off work. This time may increase depending on the type of work you do.
You will be able to become pregnant straight away and it is important to sort out contraception. Condoms are effective for preventing sexually transmitted infections BUT you will need to use a more reliable contraceptive such as the pill or a coil.
If you develop severe abdominal pain, fever, flu-like symptoms, heavy or offensive vaginal bleeding, you must see your GP immediately or report to the Emergency Department at Yeovil District Hospital.
Types of contraception will have been discussed in the first clinic appointment you had but the nurse caring for you will discuss it with you also. If you are going to start the pill, then try to start taking it the night the procedure is completed or next morning.
It is very important that you are escorted home on the day you have the misoprostol pessary. You will not be allowed to make your own way home so please ensure a responsible adult takes you home and stays with you overnight.
Making the decision to have a termination of pregnancy is not an easy one and the amount of pain and distress it can cause is often underestimated. Quite often people can feel low and it is useful to have a supportive partner or good friend to talk to.
Contact
If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to a member of staff or contact Jasmine Ward on:
Telephone: 01935 384385
Counselling 4 Yeovil
Tel: 07896630296
www.counselling4yeovil.org.uk
