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Click here to have a professional counselor answer your questions: Answers@abortion-connecticut.com
How
You Can Help
Abortion is Safe and Confidential
Early, legal abortions are very safe. Having an abortion does not affect a woman's fertility. She will have as much chance of becoming pregnant after the abortion as she did before it.
Our records are completely confidential. Medical records may be obtained by written permission of the patient or subpoena only.
Counseling
In the privacy of individual offices, our professional counselors will assure that each patient is aware of alternate options for her unplanned pregnancy, and is making an informed choice to have an abortion. The counselor and the patient review the abortion procedure, the written consent forms, aftercare instructions, discuss birth control, and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS.
The Abortion Procedure
The abortion is performed by a Connecticut licensed OB/Gyn physician after the patient's chosen form of anesthesia is administered. Before the abortion begins, an ultrasound and/or pelvic exam is done. The opening to the uterus is gradually enlarged to allow a small sterile tube to gently remove the pregnancy via suction. The entire abortion takes 3-5 minutes and may be pain free or accompanied by mild to moderate cramping.
Recovery
After the abortion, the patient is wheeled into a comfortable area where she may relax and have light refreshments while being medically monitored. Aftercare instructions are reviewed and the patient is usually discharged within 45 minutes. We recommend rest and relaxation for 24 hours. After that time, all normal activities may resume except: no sexual intercourse, douching, or tampons. A follow up appointment is scheduled 3 weeks after the abortion here or with the patient's referring agency or private physician.
How You Can Help
Our staff members will touch a woman's life for a few short hours. You will return home with her and continue to touch her life every day after that. Remember that she has chosen to confide in you and rely on you for support at a stressful time in her life.
In the weeks following the abortion, a woman may still need to talk about her experience. It is very important that she continue to get support from those she cares about.
Although every woman is different, most women feel relieved after the abortion. Occasionally a woman may doubt that she is still a good person and may even feel sad, bitter or ashamed. These women may now begin to wonder if they made the right decision.
You can help her to feel positive about her decision and herself. Remind her of all the valid reasons why she chose to have an abortion. Remind her that those reasons (whether financial, emotional, or physical) were so important they led her to carry through with her decision. By supporting her decision, you will enable her to move into the future more easily because someone really cares about and understands her.
If, for your own reasons, you cannot support her decision, please suggest that she seek support elsewhere. She can call us and we will help her to get the support she needs.
If you would like to speak with a counselor, please ask the receptionist who will arrange this for you.
If you notice any of the following behaviors, suggest to her that she call one of our professional clinic counselors or another mental health professional:
Signs of Depression
- Staying in her room behind closed doors more often than usual or for longer periods
- Loss of appetite or sudden increase in appetite
- Sleep disturbances: inability to fall asleep or wanting to sleep all the time
- Tearfulness
- Sudden loss of interest in hobbies, friends, or usual activities.
If you notice any of these behaviors in your daughter, ask if she would like to talk about what is bothering her. If she declines the offer, but the behaviors continue, encourage her to seek outside help with a counselor or physician.
DO NOT IGNORE THE SIGNS OF DEPRESSION.
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