Abortion Information
· Is Abortion Safe?
· When can I do an abortion
· Spontaneous abortion
· Induced abortion
· Abortion procedure
· Surgical abortion information
· Suction-aspiration abortions
· Surgical dilation and evacuation abortion
· Abortion Pill Information

Surgical Dilation And Evacuation Abortion

Surgical dilation and evacuation abortion – When?

This kind of procedure is generally performed between the 16th and 25th week of the pregnancy when a suction-aspiration abortion no longer is possible. During this time the foetus has become so large that just some vacuum will not be enough. The surgical dilation and evacuation abortion takes a couple of days to perform so the procedure needs to be planned quite methodically.

Surgical dilation and evacuation abortion – How?

Because the foetus has been allowed to grow so large there is very little a physician can do but to address a surgeon to perform a surgical dilation and evacuation abortion. The procedure does in fact begin one day before the actual abortion with the insertion of a cervical dilator, known as a laminaria, which until the next day will have swollen to open up the cervix completely, this time will be spent in the hospital. The next day a general anaesthetic will be given to the patient and the surgeon will begin the surgical dilation and evacuation abortion. The actual procedure is quite straightforward, the laminaria is removed allowing the surgeon to insert forceps and other instruments into the uterus so that the surgeon can remove the foetus intact or in pieces. The surgeon will then either use a machine which resembles a vacuum or a curette to remove any residue left on the inner walls of the uterus. The surgical dilation and evacuation abortion is followed by scheduled counselling and a couple of follow-up meetings with a physician to make sure that the procedure was successful and that nothing unplanned has happened as a result of the abortion.

Surgical dilation and evacuation abortion – Dangers

Although the surgical dilation and evacuation abortion might seem as a safe procedure it is actually far more dangerous than a suction-aspiration abortion since it actually involves sharp equipment. Truth is that the since the surgeon will need to cut the foetus into little pieces in order to remove it there is a chance that something goes wrong, especially since the surgeon works in the blind. Surgeons are skilled professionals but even professionals make mistakes a little now and then.