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Abortion treatments

Not all the methods described may be suitable for you

Your treatment options will depend on how many weeks the pregnancy is, your medical suitability and your personal choice.

There are two types of abortion treatment:

Medical abortion: The abortion pill

The abortion pill involves taking medicines to end the pregnancy.

Surgical abortion

Surgical abortion involves a minor operation that may be done with local anaesthetic, with sedation or rarely with general anaesthetic.

Treatment types by gestation

Pregnancy remains

   

If you have any specific wishes about how you would like the remains to be disposed of, such as burial or cremation, please discuss this with a member of staff before your treatment takes place.

After a surgical abortion or a medical abortion over 10 weeks’ gestation, the pregnancy
tissue is collected and stored separately from other clinical waste, before being sent for incineration (burning). It is destroyed completely. Your pregnancy remains may be collected with others in one receptacle for disposal. If you would prefer that your pregnancy remains are collected separately, please tell us before your procedure.

If you plan to bury or burn the remains, ask a member of staff for some information about how to do that safely.

For more information about the disposal of the pregnancy remains, click here.

COVID-19 Information

   

For information to reassure you about the safety of the COVID-19 Vaccine for pregnant women and women of reproductive age, click here.