If you need to undergo this procedure, which involves an injection through your abdomen to stop the fetal heartbeat, we will speak with you in advance of your treatment.
A thin needle is placed through your abdomen into the fluid surrounding the pregnancy or the fetal heart, and a medicine to stop the heartbeat is injected. It can take several hours for the heartbeat and fetal movements to stop if the injection was made into the fluid around the pregnancy.
You are awake during this procedure which takes between 10 and 15 minutes. If you are having dilatation and evacuation, Dilapan may be placed into the cervix (neck of the womb) at the same time as this procedure. You will need to expect to be at the clinic for up to three hours for this procedure.
Please ask us if you have any questions, and we will explain this procedure in as much detail as you need.