Miscarriage and Abortion |
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Miscarriage and Abortion
 First-Trimester Procedure
Medical Abortion
Second-Trimester Procedure
First-Trimester Procedure First trimester uterine aspiration — sometimes called vacuum or suction aspiration — is performed as an elective abortion, as treatment after a miscarriage and for pregnancy termination due to fetal anomalies. This procedure can be performed in a one-day office visit if the pregnancy is less than 14 weeks. It involves gentle suction to remove pregnancy tissue.
At the UCSF Women's Options Center, the procedure is performed in a doctor's office with local anesthesia and pain-relieving medications. Patients may take oral anti-anxiety medications to help relax but these medications should not be taken until a doctor at the options center instructs you to do so. We don't offer intravenous (IV) sedation or general anesthesia for this procedure.
Procedure
You should not eat or drink for two hours before your appointment.
Your health education, exam, procedure and recovery will be in a private room. The entire visit will take about three hours if you're less than 12 weeks pregnant. If you're 12 to 14 weeks pregnant, your visit will be five to six hours because of the additional time required to soften or dilate your cervix.
We require that someone take you home after the procedure since you can't drive a car or ride a taxi or public transit alone after taking pain and anti-anxiety medications.
Before the procedure, you'll learn about uterine aspiration, undergo an exam and receive oral medications, which may include pain relief and anti-anxiety medications. If you're 12 to 14 weeks pregnant, you may receive a medication called misoprostol to soften your cervix for dilation. Misoprostol takes two to three hours to take effect. We recommend that you bring reading material for this waiting period.
During uterine aspiration, you'll be awake, but relaxed. If you wish, someone may accompany you during the entire procedure, which takes about 15 minutes. During the procedure, your doctor will:
- Place a speculum to view inside your vagina
- Clean the cervix with gauze soaked in soap
- Apply local anesthesia to numb the cervix
- Dilate your cervix, the opening to the uterus, with tapered rods
- Insert a straw-like flexible tube or cannula through the cervix into the uterus
- Apply gentle suction, using either a hand-held or electric device, to the other end of the tube to aspirate or remove pregnancy tissue
At the end of the procedure, you may feel a cramp similar to a menstrual cramp in your uterus as it shrinks to its normal size.
Recovery
After the procedure, you'll rest for a few minutes. You may experience some cramping and spotting. When you feel able, you may get dressed. A health educator will review instructions for care after the procedure and possible complications. You'll be given antibiotics to prevent infection.
Because of medications administered, you shouldn't drive until the medications wear off. Please make arrangements for someone to take you home directly.
If you don't have anyone to accompany you home, contact Access, a women's health rights organization that may have a pro-choice volunteer driver to assist you. This must be coordinated with our clinic before your appointment, so please make arrangements as soon as possible.
You can expect to return to normal activities, such as work and school, the next day.
See our frequently asked questions (FAQs) about post-procedure care.
Follow-up Visits
Unless you experience complications or have concerns, there's no need to return to the Women's Options Center. We recommend that you see your primary care doctor for regular evaluations.
Safety and Effectiveness
Uterine aspiration is one of the safest medical procedures. Although rare, possible complications include a blood clot in the uterus that can cause pain or require a repeat aspiration; infection, which is generally easily identified and treated; a tear in the cervix that can be easily repaired with suture; perforation; retained pregnancy tissue requiring repeat aspiration; and excessive bleeding requiring a transfusion.
Complications are less frequent and less serious than those associated with giving birth.
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated August 19, 2009
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