An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy.

It's also sometimes known as a termination of pregnancy.

The pregnancy is ended either by taking medicines or having a surgical procedure.

How to get an abortion (in the UK)

Abortions can only be carried out under the care of an NHS hospital or a licensed clinic, and are usually available free of charge on the NHS.

There are 3 main ways to get an abortion on the NHS:

• you can self-refer by contacting an abortion provider directly – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Marie Stopes UK, the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS) or your local NHS sexual health website can tell you about eligibility and services in your area

• speak to a GP and ask for a referral to an abortion service – the GP should refer you to another doctor if he or she has any objections to abortion

• contact a sexual health clinic (sometimes called family planning or GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinics) and ask for a referral to an abortion service

Waiting times can vary, but you should not have to wait more than 2 weeks from when you (or a doctor) first contact an abortion provider to having an abortion.

You can also pay for an abortion privately (not on the NHS) if you prefer. Costs for private abortions vary depending on the stage of pregnancy and the method used to carry out the procedure.

When an abortion can be carried out

Most abortions in England, Wales and Scotland are carried out before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

They can be carried out after 24 weeks in very limited circumstances – for example, if the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability.

Most abortion services will ask to perform an ultrasound scan to work out how many weeks pregnant you are. The length of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period.

Abortions are safer the earlier they're carried out. Getting advice early on will give you more time to make a decision if you're unsure.

Deciding to have an abortion

The decision to have an abortion is yours alone.

Some women may be certain they want to have an abortion, while others may find it more difficult to make a decision.

All women requesting an abortion can discuss their options with, and receive support from, a trained pregnancy counsellor if they wish.

Impartial information and support are available from:

• your GP or another doctor at your GP practice

• a counselling service at the abortion clinic

• organisations such as Brook (for under-25s), BPAS, Marie Stopes UK and NUPAS

You may also want to speak to your partner, friends or family, but you do not have to. They do not have a say in your decision.

If you do not want to tell anyone, your details will be kept confidential.

If you're under 16, your parents do not usually need to be told. The doctor or nurse may encourage you to tell a parent, carer or other adult you trust, but they will not make you.

There are organisations, usually known as crisis pregnancy centres, that offer counselling around pregnancy. They do not refer people for abortion, and may not offer balanced or accurate advice.

If you go to a place that offers pregnancy counselling and you're not sure if they will refer you for an abortion, ask if they refer people for an abortion.

What happens during an abortion

Before having an abortion, you'll have an appointment to talk about your decision and what happens next.

Whenever possible, you should be given a choice of how you would like the abortion to be carried out.

There are 2 options:

• medical abortion ("abortion pill") – you take 2 medicines, usually 24 to 48 hours apart, to induce an abortion

• surgical abortion – you have a procedure to remove the pregnancy and normally go home soon afterwards

After an abortion, you'll probably need to take things easy for a few days. It's likely you'll have some discomfort and vaginal bleeding for up to 2 weeks.

Read more about how an abortion is carried out.

Risks of an abortion

Abortion is a safe procedure. Abortions are safest, and happen with less pain and bleeding, when carried out as early as possible in pregnancy.

Most women will not experience any problems, but there is a small risk of complications, such as:

• infection of the womb (uterus)

• some of the pregnancy remaining in the womb

• excessive bleeding

• damage to the womb or entrance of the womb (cervix)

If complications do occur, you may need further treatment, including surgery.

Having an abortion will not affect your chances of becoming pregnant again and having normal pregnancies in the future.

You may be able to get pregnant immediately after an abortion. You should use contraception if you do not want to get pregnant.

What happens - Abortion

Abortions can only be carried out under the care of hospitals or licensed clinics, by qualified doctors.

If you're less than 10 weeks pregnant and having a medical abortion, the hospital or clinic can usually give you the second dose of medicine to take at home.

Most people having an abortion do not usually need to stay in the clinic or hospital overnight, but you may need to go to appointments on different days.

Before an abortion

Before having an abortion, you'll need to have an assessment appointment. This usually happens at the hospital or clinic, but you may be offered a phone or video assessment.

During this assessment, you may:

• discuss your reasons for considering an abortion and whether you're sure about your decision

• be offered the chance to talk things over with a trained counsellor if you think it might help

• talk to a nurse or doctor about the abortion methods available, including any associated risks and complications

• be offered an ultrasound scan to check how many weeks pregnant you are

• be offered testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

• need to have other tests such as a blood test, depending on any medical conditions you have or the stage you're at in the pregnancy

When you're sure you want to have an abortion, you'll be asked to sign a consent form and the clinic or hospital will arrange a date for the abortion.

You can change your mind at any point up to the start of the abortion.

Methods of abortion

There are 2 main types of abortion:

• medical abortion ("abortion pill") – taking medicine to end the pregnancy

• surgical abortion – a procedure to remove the pregnancy

Medical and surgical abortions can generally only be carried out up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

In very limited circumstances an abortion can take place after 24 weeks – for example, if there's a risk to life or there are problems with the baby's development.

You should be offered a choice of which method you would prefer whenever possible.

Medical abortion

Medical abortion involves taking 2 different medicines to end the pregnancy.

The medicines are prescribed by the hospital or clinic, and you usually take them 1 or 2 days apart.

The pregnancy is passed (comes out) through the vagina. This usually happens several hours after you take the second medicine.

It does not need surgery or an anaesthetic.

It involves the following steps:

• you first take a tablet containing a medicine called mifepristone – this blocks the main pregnancy hormone. You take this tablet at the hospital or clinic, and you'll be able to go home afterwards and continue your normal activities

• usually 1 to 2 days later, you take a second medicine called misoprostol – you put the tablets under your tongue, between your cheek and gum, or inside your vagina. You can usually take the medicine at home if you're less than 10 weeks pregnant – if you're over 10 weeks pregnant you need to take these tablets at the clinic or hospital

• within 4 to 6 hours of taking the second medicine, the lining of the womb breaks down, causing pain, bleeding and loss of the pregnancy

Sometimes you need to take more doses of misoprostol to get the pregnancy to pass.

Occasionally, the pregnancy does not pass and an operation is needed to remove it.

Surgical abortion

Surgical abortion involves an operation to remove the pregnancy from the womb. It may be done with:

• local anaesthetic (to numb the cervix)

• conscious sedation (where you're relaxed but awake)

• deep sedation or general anaesthetic (where you're asleep)

Most people having deep sedation will not remember anything and will not be aware during the operation. If you have a general anaesthetic, you'll be fully asleep during the operation and will not remember anything.

What kind of anaesthetic or sedation you have depends on your circumstances, how many weeks pregnant you are and your own preference.

Before a surgical abortion, you'll be asked to have a medicine to open the cervix. This happens either a few hours or 1 to 2 days before the operation, depending on the medicine used.

There are 2 methods of surgical abortion.

Vacuum or suction aspiration

This can be used up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.

A tube is inserted into the womb through the cervix (the opening to the womb from the vagina), and the pregnancy is removed using suction. The doctor may need to use special instruments to help remove the pregnancy, depending on how many weeks pregnant you are.

Vacuum aspiration takes about 5 to 10 minutes and most women go home a few hours later.

Dilatation and evacuation (D&E)

This is used after 14 weeks of pregnancy. It involves inserting special instruments called forceps through the cervix and into the womb to remove the pregnancy.

D&E is usually carried out under sedation or general anaesthetic. It normally takes about 10 to 20 minutes and you're usually able to go home the same day.

After an abortion

You do not usually need to have any other tests or appointments after a surgical abortion, or a medical abortion in hospital.

If you have a medical abortion at home, you may need to have a special kind of pregnancy test or scan to make sure the pregnancy has ended.

If you have a medical abortion, you may have short-lived side effects from the medicines, such as diarrhoea and feeling sick.

If you have a surgical abortion, the general anaesthetic and sedation medicines can also have side effects.

For all types of abortion, it's likely you'll have some stomach cramps (pain) and vaginal bleeding. Bleeding usually lasts a week or two. Sometimes light vaginal bleeding after a medical abortion can last up to a month.

After an abortion, you can:

• take painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol to help with any pain or discomfort

• use sanitary towels or pads rather than tampons until the bleeding has stopped

• have sex as soon as you feel ready, but use contraception if you do not want to get pregnant again as you'll usually be fertile immediately after an abortion

You can usually return to normal activities as soon as you feel comfortable to, including having a bath or shower, using tampons, exercising (including swimming) and heavy lifting.

When to get medical help

Get advice if you:

• have pain or bleeding that does not get better in a few days

• still feel pregnant after about a week

• have a temperature, flu-like feelings or unusual vaginal discharge – these could be signs of infection

• have any other worries

The clinic will give you the number of a 24-hour helpline to call if you're worried. If you cannot find the number, contact a GP or 111.

You may experience a range of emotions after an abortion. This is common.

If you need to discuss how you're feeling, contact the abortion service or your GP.

They will be able to provide counselling or refer you for counselling if you need it.

Buying abortion pills online

It's against the law to try to cause your own abortion. This includes buying abortion pills online.

You will not know if pills sold online are genuine and they could be harmful.

Before doing anything, contact an abortion advice service such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Marie Stopes International, a GP or sexual health service, who can help you find appropriate care for free and in confidence.

Abortions are generally very safe and most women will not experience any problems.

But like any medical treatment, there's a small risk that something could go wrong. The risk of complications increases the later in pregnancy an abortion is carried out.

Possible complications

The risks are different depending on whether you have a medical abortion or surgical abortion, and how many weeks pregnant you are.

Medical abortion

Before 14 weeks of pregnancy the main risks of medical abortion are:

• needing another procedure to remove parts of the pregnancy that have stayed in the womb: this happens to about 70 out of 1,000 women

• serious complications such as heavy bleeding, damage to the womb, or sepsis: this happens to about 1 out of 1,000 women

From 14 weeks of pregnancy, the main risks of medical abortion are:

• needing another procedure to remove parts of the pregnancy that have stayed in the womb: about 13 out of 100 women

• infection or injury to the womb: this happens to a small number of women

Surgical abortion

Before 14 weeks of pregnancy, the main risks of surgical abortion are:

• needing another procedure to remove parts of the pregnancy that have stayed in the womb: this happens to about 35 out of 1,000 women

• serious complications such as heavy bleeding, damage to the womb, or sepsis: this happens to about 1 out of 1,000 women

After 14 weeks of pregnancy, the main risks of surgical abortion are:

• needing another procedure to remove parts of the pregnancy that have stayed in the womb: about 3 out of 100 women

• very heavy bleeding: between about 1 and 10 out of 100 women

• infection: this happens to a small number of women

• injury to the womb or entrance to the womb (cervix): this happens to a small number of women

The clinic will provide you with the number of a 24-hour helpline to call if you have any problems after an abortion.

Effect on fertility, health and future pregnancies

Having an abortion does not increase the risk of breast cancer or mental health issues.

Having an abortion will not affect your chances of becoming pregnant and having normal pregnancies in the future.

Many women are able to get pregnant immediately afterwards, so you should start using contraception right away if you do not want to get pregnant. The doctor or nurse at the hospital or clinic should talk with you about contraception at the time you have the abortion.

There's a very small risk to your fertility and future pregnancies if you develop a womb infection that is not treated quickly. The infection could spread to your fallopian tubes and ovaries – known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

PID can increase the risk of infertility or ectopic pregnancy, where an egg implants itself outside of the womb.

But most infections are treated before they reach this stage.

Talk to your doctor or an abortion advice service for more information if you're concerned about the possible risks of an abortion.