North Florida Women’s Health and Counseling Services, Inc., has been North Florida and South Georgia’s trusted abortion provider for over 26 years.  We pride ourselves on compassionate, confidential care.  Our dedicated staff will treat you with the respect you deserve while ensuring that your visit with us is as comfortable as possible.  Hopefully this section will help you find answers to questions you or your loved ones may have.

1. Is abortion safe?
Abortion is the most common out-patient procedure in the nation and is extremely safe when performed by an experienced physician.  Renowned public health research organization, The Guttmacher Institute, states first trimester abortion as performed in the United States is 11 times safer than carrying and delivering a term pregnancy.

2.  Is it common to have an abortion? 
All types of women, from different races and ethnic groups, ages, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds have abortions.  According to the National Abortion Federation, nearly half of all U.S. women of reproductive age have an abortion before the age of 45.  See www.choicelinkup.com, a public service of the Abortion Conversation Project to keep people safe from the inaccurate and misleading information of biased and anti-abortion web sites found on the Internet, and www.yourbackline.org (1-888-493-0092) for additional resources and conversation regarding abortion information, emotional support and pro-choice links.

3. Will having an abortion prevent me from having children in the future? 
The Guttmacher Institute and the National Abortion Federation state there are no links between an uneventful abortion and infertility.  As with any surgery, there are risks.  Taking all of your prescribed medications, following take home care instructions, and returning for your post-abortion check-up will reduce your risk of post-abortion problems.  Please phone your provider for more information. 

4.  Which is better, the vacuum aspiration procedure or the chemical abortion process?
This is a very individual decision. Some women choose the vacuum aspiration procedure because it is very short, lasting 3-8 minutes for most women. Others women choose the chemical abortion process because it is less invasive and can be done at home with their support person.  In our facility the chemical abortion process is available for women up to 7 weeks and 5 days from their last normal menstrual period (LNMP), and the vacuum aspiration procedure up to 13 weeks and 6 days LNMP.  Each woman must decide for herself which abortion procedure is better suited for her individual needs.  For information to help you choose a method, go to www.pregnancyoptions.info, and click on “Abortion: Which Method is Right for Me?”.  This site gives additional medically accurate information comparing the two procedures.

5.  Which procedure is less painful?
Like most medical procedures some pain and/or discomfort may be involved in the abortion process, but with education about what to expect and emotional support most patients tolerate it very well.  Our patients are generally surprised how well they feel physically after their procedure.

For those choosing a Vacuum Aspiration Procedure, Nitrous Oxide gas (a mild sedative), is a useful tool in pain management and is available at no additional cost.  Our ability to provide female support staff has been repeatedly reported to reduce anxiety, provide emotional support, and help to ensure the safety of our patients without the effects of heavy sedation. Generally the vacuum procedure lasts between 3-8 minutes and most women describe it as mild to heavy menstrual-like cramping.  Vacuum aspiration patients may take over the counter pain medication up to one hour prior to their procedure to further reduce discomfort.

For those choosing Chemical Abortion, significant cramping/discomfort should be expected during the expulsion of the pregnancy.  The physician will provide a prescription for pain and anti-nausea medications to make you more comfortable.  Use of a heating pad at this time may also reduce discomfort.

6.  When can I return to work/school?
It is important not to do anything strenuous for 7-10 days following a pregnancy termination.  This includes heavy lifting and strenuous exercise.  You can return to normal non-strenuous activities as soon as you feel up to it. But remember, although you might feel okay, your body will still need time to recover from the procedure.  If returning to your normal activities causes you to have heavy bleeding or cramping, STOP and get additional rest.

7.  Will my abortion be confidential?
At North Florida Women’s Health and Counseling Services, Inc., we go above and beyond what is required to protect our client’s confidentiality.  Our staff respects a patient’s right to privacy and will not release any information without written consent of the patient and proof of identification, except as required by court order.

8.  What do I need to bring to my appointment?
All of our patients will need to bring a photo ID with proof of age (ex. Driver’s License, passport, or state ID card).  If you are a minor, you will also need to bring a parent or legal guardian, their ID, and a linking document such as a birth certificate, tax return or court order.  If you are a minor who is married, emancipated, has a dependant child or judicial bypass, you are not subject to the requirements but will need to bring appropriate documentation.  Patients who use prescription medications should know the names and dosages of each.  Patients who have written documentation of their blood type are encouraged to bring it to their appointment.

9.  Why do you need to know my blood type?
It is important for us to know if your blood is positive or negative for the Rh factor to help insure the safety of future pregnancies.  Women with a negative Rh factor require a Rhogam injection within 72 hours after each abortion, miscarriage or child birth, unless advised differently by their physician.  This injection keeps the body of an Rh-negative woman from building up antibodies against Rh positive blood.  You may save yourself the fee of having your blood typed here if you bring documentation of your Rh type with you.  You may request your blood type from any blood bank where you have donated blood, your OB/GYN or other medical doctor.  It can be faxed to our office. Call for our current fax number.

10.  Can I meet the physician before my abortion?
All of our patients will be provided with a private session with their physician before the abortion.  This time can be used to discuss any additional concerns you might have about the procedure.  This is also a good time to discuss when to start contraception.

11. Can I bring someone with me?
It is not a requirement, however, you are welcome to bring a support person to your appointment. They may sit with you while you wait and help you get home afterwards.  Patients desiring to use Nitrous Oxide gas should arrange to bring a driver.  If you are a minor seeking abortion services please let our staff know so they can inform and assist you in meeting the Florida Parental Notice of Abortion requirements (Also see Parental Notice Section). We request that you have only one guest in the building for space and security reasons.  Children under 12 are not allowed on procedure days since it is a long visit and waiting is hard on everyone.

12.  Can my loved-one be with me during my procedure?
We recognize a patient’s need for support at this time and your guest may participate in a portion of the preliminary process; however we do not allow guests in the exam or recovery rooms.  For vacuum aspiration patients, a trained healthcare worker will be present to assist you with relaxation and provide emotional support.  For chemical abortion patients, it is requested that you have a support person at home with you throughout the day of Misoprostol use.

13.  What do I wear?
It is often cool in the clinic so patients and their guests are encouraged to bring/wear a sweater or light jacket and a pair of socks.  Patients will need to undress from the waist down for their ultrasound, raise their sleeves for blood pressure monitoring and bring/wear underwear that a pad can be easily attached to.  We suggest bringing a book or magazine as you may encounter some waiting.  Large bags and sacks will not be allowed into the facility.

14.  Can I eat before I come?
Yes, you can eat during the day of the abortion and will probably feel better if you do.  However, we recommend that you not eat anything 2 hours prior to your scheduled procedure. If you are having a vacuum aspiration procedure you may take over the counter non-aspirin pain reliever, Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen, up to one hour prior to the abortion.

15.  Can I pay by personal check?
Unfortunately not.  We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Traveler’s Checks or Money Orders and cash if you have to.  We are only able to accept debit cards if they have a MasterCard or Visa logo on the card.  When paying by credit card the cardholder must be present to sign the receipt, or if they cannot be here you may phone us for instructions on how to provide the required cardholder’s information prior to the day of your procedure.

16. Why are there so many “Women’s Clinics” on Cross Creek Circle? (What is a Crisis Pregnancy Center?)
 Crisis pregnancy centers are run by anti-abortion activists and are designed to misinform, intimidate and delay women seeking abortion services.  They often locate their offices very close to actual abortion providers and choose names like “Women’s Clinic”, “Pregnancy Help” or “Women’s Center” to confuse women about the services they provide.  Crisis pregnancy centers lure women seeking abortion with offers of free services such as pregnancy testing and ultrasound.  Once in their office, the patient may be shown graphic anti-abortion videos instead of being provided medically accurate information about abortion.  They attempt to make women feel guilty and will not provide referrals for abortion or birth control.  Victims of crisis pregnancy centers often experience blatant violations of their confidentiality when they are phoned at home and urged not to have an abortion.  Before giving your private health or contact information, make sure you are speaking with an actual abortion provider by asking “Do you perform abortions in your office?”.  If the answer is unclear, confusing or the question is dodged; you may be speaking with a crisis pregnancy center instead of an actual abortion provider.  These centers have been the subject of numerous lawsuits and investigations.  If you have been the victim of a crisis pregnancy center you can take action anonymously by e-mailing the National Abortion Federation at webmaster@prochoice.org or calling 1-800-772-9100.