Comparison
Surgical and Medical Terminations: Key differences
Surgical Termination
- Very high success rate >99%
- Only 1 visit to the clinic (2 if over 16 weeks) – consultation and procedure done on the same day
- Requires surgical procedure and anaesthesia
- Anaesthesia required – intravenous twilight sedation or local anaesthetic
- Procedure performed by a trained doctor while you are asleep, making it painless
- This is a very fast procedure, performed in 5-10 minutes
- May be performed up to 20 weeks from your last menstrual period
- Post-procedure bleeding usually minimal, with heavy flow and cramps in the following days
Medical Termination
- High success rate 95%
- Multiple client visits are required to check progress
- This method uses drugs – surgical intervention usually not required (<5%)
- Anaesthesia not required unless termination fails, and surgical intervention is required (<5%)
- Resembles a natural miscarriage – pain and bleeding are variable
- Following medication intake, termination occurs at some point within 5 weeks
- May only be performed up to 9 weeks after last menstrual period
- Bleeding may last longer than in surgical termination and patient may see pregnancy tissue