ABORTION SERVICES & PROCEDURE

Useful Information for you

• Our clinic is licensed for legal abortion.
• The procedure is done under sedation (patient would not feel the pain) and it is safe.
• Procedures takes about 15 minutes.
• Patients rest in the recovery room for about 2 hours back to normal.
• Estimated cost for procedure ranges from S$900 onwards (Medisave claim $900 can be used) depending on the size. Not including other charges stated below:
  
  
  • consultation
  • medicine
  • anesthesia
  • operating theatre
  • ultrasound scan
  
  
• Medisave and financial assistant can be arranged

Procedures

1. Please bring with you your identity card (IC) or passport to the clinic and call 6736 3331 for an appointment
   
   
2. After seeing the doctor, you will be counselled for the procedure with the viewing of the counselling tape.
   
   
3. After counselling, you can go through the procedure after 48 hours for citizens. Non-citizens do not have to wait.
   
   
4. The procedure of TOP usually takes about 10-15 minutes and patient will rest for 1-2 hours after the procedure for observation and for recovery from the sedation. It is safe and painless.
   
   
5. You are recommended to have a post operation examination in 1 week and 4 weeks when you should experience a new menstrual cycle. The urine will take 2-3 weeks to turn negative.
   
   
6. Please come to the A & E of the Mt Elizabeth Hospital (Tel: 6731 2218) should you have an emergency or call us at 6736 3331/ 9819 9411 to contact Dr Lien. The doctor will attend to you. You may also call the clinic during office hours at 6736 3331 for any help.

Termination of Pregnancy

It is the most widely used method of birth control in the world. It has been estimated that nearly 1 in 4 pregnancies are terminated, many illegally. There has been a gradual liberalization of laws, and today well over 75% of the world's population live in countries where abortion is to a greater or lesser extent legal. Different countries have different laws. The limit varies from 20 to 24 weeks in various countries. In Singapore, it is legal on socio-medical ground. The legal limit is 24 weeks pregnancy.

Types

1. Menstrual regulation - also known as interception, and menstrual suction. This is a pre-emptive technique, meaning that it can be performed for up to 2 weeks after a missed period, even before a pregnancy can be positively confirmed. This term was used in the seventies when the status of missed period was not known. With modern easily available diagnostic pregnancy test and ultrasound, it is replaced by Suction aspiration.
   
   
2. Suction aspiration - also called vacuum curettage or STOP (suction termination of pregnancy). Sometimes it is done with the procedure called D & C (dilation and curettage). This is similar to the above but using a bigger constant suction machine. It is meant for pregnancies less than 14 weeks. This is one of the safest and simplest method in surgical procedure.
   
   
3. Prostagladins - this is a medication to induce early labour as suction is not easy to perform for bigger pregnancies. It can be used till 24 weeks, the legal limit in Singapore.
   
   
4. Hysterotomy - this is used in cases where prostagladin method fails. The fetus is surgically removed in a process similar to Caesarean section. This is not often done as the above method usually works well.

Illegal Practice of Termination of Pregnancy

"Back-street" and self-induced abortions are still present - worldwide they cause 30-50% of all maternal deaths from pregnancy and childbirth. With the improvement of childbirth, this figure may be even higher. The complications arise mainly from unhygienic and unskillful termination of pregnancy resulting in infection, injuries and hemorrhage.