Abortion Procedure
      (in Spanish)
  - general information
  - surgical abortion
  - medical abortion

No-Scalpel Vasectomy
      (in Spanish)

Maps

Appointments: 503-357-6119 / Toll Free 800-606-6303

 Medical Abortion

Medical Abortion with Mifeprex (prior to 7 weeks)
    Following confirmation of the gestational age with ultrasound and a thorough explanation of the procedure, the patient takes a Mifeprex pill and goes home. Approximately 24 hours later, she inserts medications into the vagina, which, after several hours of cramping usually results in the passage of pregnancy tissue. In effect, the patient experiences a miscarriage. We see the patient within several days and confirm with ultrasound that the uterus is empty.

After 10 years experience providing medical abortions, we have decided that only in rare and unusual situations is this method of abortion the best choice for a woman seeking an abortion in an area where surgical abortion is readily available.   Our reasons are: One woman in Canada and at least five in this country have died from serious infections following medical abortions. In Canada, following the initial death, clinical trials on the procedure were stopped and the drug Mifiprex was not approved. No cases of this type of infection have been reported following surgical abortion. The risk of serious hemorrhage in the first week following medical abortion is significantly greater than following surgical abortion. This complication usually requires emergency hospitalization and surgery. Medical abortion is only 90-95% effective in producing the required result (not being pregnant) while surgical abortion is 99.99% effective. Every patient that we have seen for surgical abortion in the past several years who has had a previous medical abortion has told us that the surgical abortion as we perform it was faster, easier, and much less painful than her previous medical abortion.