Finances

How can I pay for my services?

Fees may be paid with cash, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, money orders, traveler's checks, or cashier's checks. Personal checks are accepted using the telecheck system. All fees are to be paid at the time services are provided. We accept most major health Insurance Plans and can check your benefits. 

You may qualify for financial assistance to help pay for an abortion. Please ask to talk to the funding coordinator when you make an appointment, or call the National Abortion Federation Hotline at 1-800-772-9100. 

Contraceptives

How do contraceptives work?

They only work when you use them! The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have created a very helpful education booklet on how birth control works. It is available in English and Spanish. You can also go to Planned Parenthood's My Method Tool to discover which birth control method may be best for you. Birth control is not a one-size-fits-all and so it is important to consider YOUR needs to find a birth control method that works for YOU!

What is emergency contraception?

Questions about Abortion Care and Well-being

How long will I be at the center?
For a medication (non-surgical) abortion you should allow 2 hours for your visit. For surgical procedures please allow 3 hours. For follow up visits, please allow 30 minutes.

Can I eat before my appointment?
It depends on your procedure. If your appointment is for a medictionl (non-surgical) procedure you may eat a meal up to1 hour prior to your appointment. If your appointment is for surgical procedures and if awake (having local anesthetic): you may eat a light meal up to 1 hour prior to your appointment. BUT if you will be asleep (sedation anesthesia) you must be FULL NPO. DO NOT eat, drink (even water), chew gum, etc. 6 hours prior to your appointment time.

Can I eat after my appointment?
Yes, in fact you will be offered crackers, cookies, juice, tea or soda in the recovery room. After either a medical (non-surgical) or surgical procedure you may resume your normal eating schedule. We do suggest that you select lighter, low fat and easier to digest foods initially.

Can I drive after my appointment?
It depends on your procedure. For a medical (non-surgical) procedure or for an awake (having local anesthetic) surgical procedure you may bring someone with you if you care to but you can drive yourself. HOWEVER if you are having sedation/anesthesia (will be asleep) for your procedure please bring someone with you to drive you home...you cannot drive yourself home. We recommend not driving for at least an additional 6 hours.

Is abortion safe?
Abortion is very safe, especially when done early in pregnancy. Many studies have been done that show that having an abortion in the first trimester is many more times safer than having a baby. Even a late abortion is less dangerous than having a baby. http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2008/01/11/four-abortion-myths-dispelled

Will an abortion hurt?
We all have different experiences with and reaction to pain. Different doctors use different ways to control pain. With the Aspiration D&C method used at our center, there may only be a few minutes of cramps. Though it is normal to fear pain, fear of pain should not be the most important factor in your decision. You will be offered medication to help with pain and given several remedial measures to increase your comfort.

 

When can I have sex or intercourse?
Not until after your follow-up appointment and 3 weeks after your procedure. Our health educators will discuss this further with you but it is important to your health that nothing is inserted in your vagina until after your follow-up exam to minimize the risk of infection.

 

Will I be able to get pregnant again?
Yes. Your personal experience with fertility will continue, as before, antidotally many women were surprised to have found it easier to get pregnant soon after an abortion. The D&C procedure is used for many things in gynecology including a first step to fertility treatments. That is one reason why birth control options are an important part of our center's Health Education. you are counseled to begin using your chosen option right away.

What is a reduced folate diet?

What is a RH blood test?

Your Well-Woman Visits (an annual gyn check-up)

Why should I have an annual gyn check-up – Your Well Woman Exam?

We like R.N. Sharla Taylor's, et al, University of Iowa Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, answer: "Throughout our lives, we have many choices to make. These choices affect our family, friends, employers, and last but not least, us. The choices we make today affect the choices we'll have to make in the future. Health care choices such as diet, exercise, health habits, and physical exams may be among our most important decisions. Our health is one of our most valuable assets, yet too often we neglect our physical needs or develop habits that may do us harm. A smart choice that we can make to ensure good health is to have a yearly Pap Smear. A Pap Smear is a simple test that does not involve much time or discomfort. The Pap Smear will detect potential problems of the cervix (opening of the uterus) or vagina (birth canal) early so they can be diagnosed and treated. Another good reason to have a yearly Pap is because your health professional will also do a breast exam, blood pressure check, pelvic exam and listen to your heart and lungs. Other tests may be done based on your needs and health history. It's a good feeling knowing you're healthy and that you are doing your part to stay that way."

 

Is a Pap test useful if it's done during menstruation?
I never really know when my period is going to occur. If I happen to be having my period should I reschedule when the bleeding has stopped?

Because Pap Smear test results are more accurate when a woman isn't menstruating, try to schedule, or reschedule, your appointment so it isn't during your period. (However this may be tricky if you are having dysfunctional uterine bleeding or irregular menstrual periods.) The best time for a Pap Smear examination is during the two weeks following the end of menstrual flow. Discuss this with one of our health educators when you call.

Who is at greater risk for abnormal pap results?