Yes.

Your friends and family members may be telling you that abortion is illegal. That is not true.

In 1973 the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the right to abortion is protected by the U.S. Constitution. However, after the first trimester of pregnancy, each state has the right to regulate how a woman can access abortion care. States can choose to restrict access to abortion care after the second trimester.

Louisiana is one of the most restrictive states in the nation. Pregnant people seeking an abortion in Louisiana must receive state-mandated counseling, are required to wait for at least 24-hours between counseling and obtaining an abortion procedure, must receive a mandatory ultrasound, and must be offered the opportunity to hear the fetal heartbeat. Pregnant minors in Louisiana are required to have the consent of a parent or legal guardian or obtain a judicial bypass prior to being able to get an abortion. Public funding for abortion is available only in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest.

For more information about the legal status of abortion in Louisiana and across the nation, please visit the Guttmacher Institute or our local community partners Lift Louisiana and the New Orleans Abortion Fund.

All medical procedures have some risk. The risks associated with abortion vary depending on which type of abortion is chosen. However, abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures for women in the United States. Fewer than 0.5% of women obtaining abortions experience a complication, and the risk of death associated with abortion is about one-tenth that associated with childbirth. Abortion is the second most commonly performed medical procedure for women in the last thirty years, second to Caesarean sections.

For more information about the safety of abortion, please refer to this fact sheet from the National Abortion Federation at prochoice.org.

There is pain and discomfort associated with both the pill and surgical abortion procedures. In the case of the surgical procedure, most women find the procedure uncomfortable but bearable. Some women, perhaps due to anxiety about the abortion, or just particularly sensitive to pain, describe abortion as being quite painful. Every woman's body is unique, so every woman's experience is different.

Each clinic visit lasts between 3-5 hours. The first appointment includes completing a medical history, doing lab work and an ultrasound, and state-mandated counseling with one of our physicians, who will explain more about both the medical and surgical abortion procedures. Patients will also have an opportunity to book their second appointment for the actual abortion. 

The length of the second appointment depends on the type of procedure chosen. While the surgical abortion procedure takes only a few minutes, patients should expect to be in the clinic all day. Folks obtaining a medication abortion with pills should also expect to be in the clinic for at least 3, but up to 5 hours. 

Though patients are unable to bring electronics, phones, or other entertainment devices into the clinic, you are more than welcome to bring a book to keep yourself busy while you wait.

Most women resume normal activities the next day after their abortion is complete. Strenuous activities, such as biking, exercise, and heavy lifting, should be avoided for about three weeks.

Additionally, to reduce the risk of infection of the vagina or uterus, nothing should be inserted into the vagina until the follow-up exam has been completed after your procedure, this includes tampons, menstrual cups, fingers, or penis. Full water submersion is also not recommended until after the follow-up appointment, this includes baths, hot tubs, and jacuzzis.

Engaging in sexual intercourse is strongly discouraged until after a follow-up examination, usually about 2 to 4 weeks after the abortion. 

It possible to become pregnant immediately after an abortion, before the next period starts, so choosing the best method of contraception must be considered before you resume having sexual intercourse if you want to avoid a subsequent pregnancy.

Rapid hormonal changes after termination may result in emotional or psychological changes for a woman. Still, other women may be affected by guilt, emotional conflict, regret, or sadness. There is no way to know how a patient will be affected but these are all normal reactions. Therefore, it is important that the decision to terminate a pregnancy be given careful consideration.

You can expect a normal period of about 4 to 8 weeks after the abortion. Often the first menstrual period after an abortion is heavier than normal.

Although nearly two-thirds of insurance companies nationwide cover elective abortion to some degree, private insurance may cover abortions.

Medicaid is only required to cover abortion in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. No state-assisted health insurance plans are permitted to cover abortion in DELAWARE.

Medicaid does not cover abortions in Delaware.

Survivors of sexual violence and/or intimate partner or family violence can obtain an abortion and have the option to pursue legal remedies for their assaults, attacks, and/or rape.