Abortion Services during COVID-19During COVID-19 our abortion services will be delivered by telephone.

At this time, the Chief Medical Officer in Scotland has temporarily changed the way we are able to help women who want to have an abortion. This is for women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant.

Please note that due to the Covid-19 isolation requirements, if you are over 16 years of age, you will now be able to have both parts of the medication at home. When you call to speak to a staff member about this, they will explain how we can get the medication to you.

Abortion Service – What will happen?You will have a telephone appointment with a nurse or a doctor which will last approximately 40 minutes but may last up to 1 hour. It includes time to talk about your decision to have an abortion what the treatment and procedure involves discussion about contraception when you might expect to have the medication/ procedure.

You will also be given the opportunity to have an appointment for counselling if you are unsure about whether or not to have an abortion.

There are two types of abortion medical and surgical. During COVID-19, most women will be offered a medical abortion, to avoid an operation in hospital.

Early Medical Abortion

Early medical abortion can be managed at home up to the 12th week of pregnancy. After 12 weeks, a medical abortion will take place in the hospital. In Lothian these are Royal infirmary Edinburgh and St John’s hospital.

Early medical abortion at home (up to 12th week of pregnancy only)

• This means less than 12 weeks since your last period not 12 weeks since you last had sex.

• No clinic visit required. • Medication will be for you to collect from the clinic or

delivered to you at home. • At home you will swallow one tablet of Mifepristone. • Then one or two days later you will place 4 tablets of

misoprostol under your tongue for 30 minutes. • Alternatively you can insert the 4 tablets of

misoprostol into your vagina. • You will be given 24 hr contact support numbers. • A clinic nurse will arrange to call you a few days later

to check the procedure went as planned. Two weeks later you will take a pregnancy test. We will contact you to find out the result of this.

Medical abortion in hospital 12 to 20 weeks.

You will swallow a tablet of mifepristone and then 2 days later you will be admitted to hospital for treatment with several doses of misoprostol every few hours until you pass the pregnancy.

At this stage of pregnancy the abortion takes longer and you may experience more pain and bleeding. In most cases the treatment is over in one day but sometimes you may need to stay in hospital overnight.

Surgical abortion.

During Covid-19, it is advised that surgery and anaesthesia should be avoided. Medical abortion will be advised for most women at this time.

What should I expect after an abortion

• You will have some period type cramping for a day or two after you’ve passed the pregnancy.

• You can expect to have some bleeding for up to 2 weeks.

• Do not have penetrative vaginal sex until all bleeding has stopped.

• Emotionally you can experience many feelings. It is always important to seek help and support you feeling distressed.

• Call Chalmers centre on 0131536 5700 and ask for an appointment for post abortion counselling.

Please watch our film on what happens when you choose to have an abortion at

www.lothiansexualhealth.scot/pregnancy-planning/termination-of-pregnancy

This film does state the first part of the treatment will happen at a clinic, but as explained above this has changed for the current time and both parts of the medication will be taken at home (up to 12 weeks of pregnancy).