Anyone had an abortion at 13/14 weeks?

[Dontknowwhattodo77]

Terrified is an understatement.

What is there to expect? Pain? Can you see anything that your really don't want to?

My mind is going a million miles an hour.

Termination is probably the best option for me and dh. We have a 6 year old and a 1 year old but he has heart problems and needs surgery. Which I'm also really scared about.

I think at 13 weeks your most likely going to need a surgical abortion, in which case youl be basically asleep and won’t see anything. You end up in the clinic for several hours but the actual procedure is quite quick. Have you got an appointment booked?

Yes I have, and I had a general anaesthetic, so wasn’t awake for any of it.

light period like blood after for a few days.

No appointment booked. She wasn't very clear about it. She gave me an option for this week but I need to look after my eldest the day after and he has a party to go to, so I really didn't want to let him down by saying he could no longer go.

I had the scan to see how far long I was and when the woman told me I got really anxious and just wanted out of the building. I need to phone tomorrow to get it booked.

How long do you usually have to stay for a surgical abortion? Are you always asleep during it?

Mine was over 20 years ago so things may have changed but my advice would be to have a general anaesthetic if you can.

I had a late term medical but I was 17 weeks. I had to stay at the clinic overnight. Wasn't much different from my early 8wk medical, apart from obviously being more developed and stronger contractions. They strongly recommended surgical. Surgical would've been much easier physically but I was strongly attatched so I wanted to be able to see and hold him. My mum had a surgical at 13 weeks and she said it was fine, it was over in what felt like a matter of minutes

If they give you a choice between general anaesthetic and twilight sedative, take the general. I had one without general and it was awful. This is such a difficult time, I know the terror you're talking about. Best of luck OP x

Thank you all so much for sharing!

If offered I think I'll go with the general. Do you need to stay in long afterwards?

@Fuzzyhippo you are so brave for going through that.

A long time ago, I had no clue, they told me I was almost 15 weeks. I don't have a single regret. Had it done under local, it was fine, had a couple of days of pain but nothing unmanageable.

I had a medical termination at 14 weeks, so basically tablets and then induction. It was pretty tough, I'd say like a mini labour just not nearly as long but I did need gas and air.

I'm happy to answer any specific questions.

I had a surgical termination at 12/13 weeks.
I knew about the pregnancy from about 5 weeks and had an appointment to book the termination at 6wks so the waiting was the hardest part.

I went into a day ward in the morning. (The other patients were all thee for the same procedure - ward curtains aren't very sound proofed)
I had a general and during the procedure I also had the Mirena coil fitted. Afterwards back on the ward, I stayed for about 4/5 hours I think then my friend came to pick me up.
I had to sign to say I had someone stay with me overnight.
In the evening I had cramping (from the coil) and a little bleeding.
Back to "regular" life.
Staff were kind and non-judgemental.

Thanks again for everyone's comments.

I've just been off the phone to them and they still want to do the medical termination. So scared but I know its the right decision for us.

@SandandFog
How long did you have to stay in for? That's what really worries me because I've had such a horrible experience in the maternity ward before.
Gas and air doesn't really help me in anyway I remember it made me laugh but no help with pain.

@Dontknowwhattodo77 I was in and out the same day. They did offer me stronger pain relief but I refused it, I knew I didn't want anything that would make me feel drowsy or anything because I knew I wanted to go as soon as possible.

I had one - I was in and out the same day, home with paracetamol and I didn’t need anything stronger. Light bleeding and I did pass a clot a few days after, but nothing worse than a period.

I was surprised to have some milk come in, having never been pregnant or breastfed before, so that might happen given that you’ve got two other children.

Something that also really helped was that a few days afterwards there was a hormonal shift and I went from being very tearful to feeling back to normal.

Honestly it was actually fine - I don’t look back with regret and it was fairly pleasant in comparison with the horror of the postnatal ward that I discovered a while later!

I know you’ll make the right decision for your family. All the best 💐

If you have the medical maybe ask for Pethidine if you're staying at a clinic. They refused gas and air with me, but they gave me Pethidine to give me a break from the contractions. Although when they gave it to me it was too late and didn't really do much, but if done just as the pain starts getting intense it should work. But you really have to push for it as they seemed very reluctant to give me anything other than paracetamol. Codeine also worked well too in the earlier stages and helped me to sleep for a bit. The pain I had was strong and came on very suddenly, but it doesn't last long and you get into your 'zone' and ride it out

I'm really hoping it's not too painful. I'm assuming it's not like full labor? Is it like an induction?

So sorry for all the questions my mind is still going a million miles an hour.

In my experience it was quite similar to full labor, very intense but only lasted about half an hour so it wasn't too bad. Where as my full labor lasted over 40 hours. Because I was so far gone I found I did have to push a bit but the pain stopped before I got to that point. There were many others at the clinic going through late medicals and I was the only one the nurses were having a really hard time with, as I found it hard to deal with the pain. They injected the pethidine while I was on the bathroom floor as I couldn't speak and not long after that my waters broke and the pain instantly went. But It's so different for each individual, the nurses said it's rare to have someone screaming with pain as they do try and sort pain relief out before you get to that point. I believe it's similar to induction as the pessary tablets you insert are the same ones used I think. Hope that helps

Hi OP,
hope you are okay, how was it did you go through with it in the end? I’m in a similar situation at 13 weeks and I’m so nervous and worried about what to expect

@Anna1998 hi, yes I went ahead with the termination, I was 15 weeks. The first set of tablets didn't work and about 30 mins after the second my waters broke. I thought I would've had to push but didn't. It was over very fast and the pain only lasted for a short time. Felt like labor pains. Though while I was waiting on something to happen I heard other woman scream which was awful. Unfortunately a week later I bleed all over my bathroom floor, I then had to go to a&e and they booked me in for an emergency appointment on the gynecology ward. They done a scan and I had to get my cervix scrapped which was absolutely disgusting and worse than the actual abortion. I also had to get some antibiotics. Now a week after that and bleeding has almost stopped completely. It wasn't as horrible as I built in my head but still not a very pleasant experience.