womenscenter.com -”where quality care is tradition”.

When Is It Too Late To Get an Abortion? |  Pregnancy Termination

Late termination of pregnancy is generally described by the lay and medical community as an abortion carried out at 20- 24 gestational weeks. Late abortion nor Late Term Abortion is a medical term.

The fetus attains viability between 23.5 to 28 weeks pregnant as a general rule. There are term pregnancies (40 weeks) where fetal viability does not occur due to severe structural or genetic abnormalities.

Several fetal and maternal conditions constitute medical and legal grounds for late-term abortions. With the advent of technology in detecting fetal abnormalities, late-term abortion is a topic that societies must confront.

Pregnancies at 20-24 weeks is the upper limit for abortions to take place in many States.

However; abortions for pregnancies over 24 weeks still occur. They consist of a very small percentage of abortions that happen in the United States. They are driven by maternal and fetal health complication factors..

When is it too late to get an abortion?

The law differs in every state. States like Florida, New York, and Texas have laws prohibiting termination after 24 weeks. Exceptions are made for life-threatening maternal medical conditions and fetal congenital or structural abnormalities that are incompatible with life.

What does it mean for the fetus to reach viability?

The fetus being viable means that it has the potential to survive outside the womb. This makes termination of pregnancies after 24 weeks have legal, ethical and social challenges.

The CDC cites that 7.1 % of abortions are performed between 14 and 20 weeks. A smaller fraction of abortions (1.3%) occur after 21 weeks of gestation.

What are the reasons for late abortions?

The rarity of late-term abortions is not only because of restrictive State laws, but very few professionals specialized in late-term abortions.

Not many abortion clinics have the physical in-house structural or medical instruments to care for advanced abortion procedures, but lack the supportive medical staff.

At The Orlando Women’s Center, we specialize in both early and late-term abortions. Our specialists are highly trained and experienced in intricate late-term abortion procedures.

Please call us if you must end your late-term pregnancy. We help you through the abortion process safely.

We have found there to be five main reasons why women undergo late abortion procedures:

• Diagnosis of fetal abnormality

• Delayed diagnosis of fetal abnormalities or maternal health conditions

• Failure to detect the pregnancy earlier

• Delay in seeking an abortion due to economic, personal, or social constraints

• Delay in accessing abortion because of unforeseen changes in the woman’s social or economic circumstances,

Why is it advisable to get an early abortion?

After twelve weeks of pregnancy, there is an increased risk of complications and side effects that occur with each additional week of gestation.

The fetus, the uterus, and the blood vessels in the womb become larger. This leads to the higher risk of cervical and uterine tears or lacerations, perforation of the uterus, bladder or bowel damage, uterine and pelvic infection, retained pregnancy tissue or heavy vaginal bleeding.

By week 12, the amount of amniotic fluid (fluid that surrounds fetus) has also increased considerably. By week 17, there is a higher risk of a amniotic fluid embolism where the fluid enters the circulatory system and enter the lung circulation. This may cause an immediate disruption of the clotting system and can lead to lethal hemorrhage.

Because of these hazards, it’s advisable to seek early interventions when it comes to pregnancy termination.

The Abortion Specialist uses ultrasound (sonogram) to exam the fetus and maternal pregnancy organ structure before the late abortion procedure is performed. The exam involves measuring the fetal head, abdominal circumference, bone structures and other organs to date the pregnancy. The ultrasound imaging also shows the fetal position and its location. The existence of fetal structural anomalies may be visualized.

Why is it hard to get a late abortion in Florida?

It is harder to find medical personnel to perform abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy. There exist a few clinics that provide late-term pregnancy termination between weeks 20 and 24.

Accessibility for many women is prohibitive after 20 weeks due to the costs of late-term abortions.

Only a few physicians in Florida Abortion Clinics perform abortions during the second trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy termination for further gestation may need referral to a hospital.

Please contact us at Orlando Women’s Center. We have in-house specialists that are highly trained to perform late abortions. You will be in the care of people who are genuinely concerned about your health and provide support every step of the way.

How is late abortion performed?

When getting a late-term abortion, you should receive supportive counseling before, during, and after the procedure. The counselors are available to talk with you on a broader range of ethical, religious, moral, family, social, financial and other issues.

Modern medicine and technology have made it possible to perform successful pregnancy termination even at advanced gestational periods.

The Abortion Doctor is able to advise, recommend, give support, and help you decide the abortion method and whether or not terminating your pregnancy is the best decision for you.

They should provide adequate information on the approaches and techniques used to remove second and third-trimester pregnancies. These include the following:

Dilatation and curettage: Used after week 12 of pregnancy. The cervix is opened using serial dilators. Special surgical instruments are inserted through the cervix and the pregnancy tissue is removed by vacuum or suction aspiration.

Dilation and Evacuation: This is used in the later second trimester of pregnancy (16.5 -24 weeks). The surgical abortion procedure involves dilation of the cervix with the help of prostaglandin and/or laminaria that soften and open the cervix. Dilator rods may be used to open the cervix further to reduce the complication rate. The pregnancy is manually removed with surgical forceps instruments and smaller tissue is evacuated using a manual or electric suction machine.

Intra-amniotic injection of hypertonic saline or urea solutions have been utilized to initiate uterine contraction and expel the pregnancy tissue within 12-24 hours. There is a higher chance of retained tissue and uterine infection with this method.

Abortion pills using the combination of Mifepristone and Misoprostol is a highly efficient and effective procedure in terminating pregnancies up to 24 weeks or further. The process is started and completed in 24 hours or less in 99% of cases with less than a 1% chance of complications or side effects.

Does late-term pregnancy hurt?

All surgical and medical methods of abortion may have some discomfort associated with the procedures.

Medications are readily available to women who experience pain or discomfort during the abortion process.

What happens after a late abortion?

At The Orlando Women’s Center, we provide you with written information about what to expect, a 24 hour phone number to call for help or aftercare support.

We ask you to return for your free check-up within 3 to 4 weeks. You may experience intermittent vaginal bleeding up to two to three weeks afterward. The bleeding will and cramping is similar to a period and generally gets lighter with each day that passes.

What are the risks of a late-term abortion?

Remember that abortions have fewer risks and complications than a normal vaginal delivery at birth. Pregnancy is fraught with many risks.

Women die in pregnancy and childbirth. The US’s maternal mortality rate currently is 16.7 deaths in every 100,000 live births. Late abortion have a mortality rate of 1 to 2 in every 100,000 procedures.

Less than 1% of women may develop a complication following a late abortion. The most common risks are bleeding and infection. They can be treated mostly with antibiotics and surgical Dilation and Curettage due to retained pregnancy tissue.

For the first two weeks after the abortion, get showers instead of baths, use sanitary pads rather than tampons, and don’t go swimming.

At The Orlando Women’s Center, we rarely have women who experience complications and side effects due to advanced surgical and medical techniques that are being utilized.

Does late-term abortion cause cancer?

Neither abortions in general or late abortions have been associated with causing cancer. No medical research shows that having an abortion at any gestation stage increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

Where can I get a late abortion in Florida?

You may inquire with your local hospital or clinic regarding if they perform abortions after 20 weeks pregnant and what the criteria are to do so. They may provide referrals to other health centers or specialists.

You may be required to travel to another part of the state or country. Contact The Orlando Women’s Center for safe and effective late abortions within Florida.

Abortion are safe and best carried out in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Health conditions and complications may affect the mother or child to force a late term abortion.

At The Orlando Women’s Center, we will give you top quality care and service you need and expect.

Please contact us and set an appointment by calling 407-245-7999 or email at 24hourabortion@gmail.com

Dr James S Pendergraft | Orlando Women’s Center | Abortion Clinic Orlando