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.

A medication abortion (also known as the “abortion pills”) is a safe and effective method for an abortion through 13 weeks. The first medication, Μifepгistоnе, blocks the hormone progesterone which sustains a pregnancy. Without this hormone, the endometrial lining and pregnancy stops developing and shrinks from the uterine wall. The second step of a medication abortion is with Misоpгostоl, which helps the cervix soften and the uterus expel the ended pregnancy. Cramping and bleeding may be moderate to heavy.

An abortion procedure takes place in the clinic and is very safe. It uses gentle suction to empty your uterus and usually lasts about 5-10 minutes. A suction abortion can be done with minimal, moderate, or deep sedation depending on the clinic and your preferences.

For a medication abortion, no preparation is necessary. For a procedural abortion appointment, we ask that you refrain from eating or drinking anything other than sips of water for about 6-8 hours before the procedure, if you are having some form of sedation. If you are not using any form of sedation, there's no preparation necessary.

Most patients have no complications and feel relief once an abortion is completed. It's common to have mild to moderate cramping and bleeding for roughly 3-6 days after a procedure. Some patients will have on and off vaginal bleeding for up to 2-4 weeks. Most patients will have their period return in 3-5 weeks; some patients have their first period around 8 weeks later. Contraception, if being used, can be started the day after an abortion. Sexual activity can resume 1-2 weeks after a procedure, when the patient feels ready. All other normal activities can usually be resumed within 24 hours of an abortion procedure.

In the state of Virginia, anyone under the age of 18 requires consent from a parent/guardian, custodian or loco parentis in order to receive an abortion. Your parent/guardian will need to sign a form acknowledging consent for decision to receive abortion care. This can happen in one of two ways: 1) If one of your parents, guardian, custodian or loco parentis can come with you to Meadow, they will complete and sign a “consent authorization”, a form we can provide, and have it notarized by one of the notaries we have on staff. The Notary will require a valid photo ID from your parent/guardian. 2) If one of your parents, guardian, custodian or loco parentis cannot come with you to Meadow, they will need to print out and complete a Consent Authorization Form (English / Español) and have it notarized. The notary will require a valid photo ID from your parent/guardian and may require proof of identity from you. Please bring the notarized form to your appointment. If you are over 18, we will ask for a government issued ID to confirm your age. If you do not have a government issued ID, we will ask you to sign an affadavit confirming your date of birth.

We do not offer financial assistance directly, but we have relationships with many of the abortion support funds that do provide assistance. If you need financial support, we will connect you with a fund. The fund will then work with you to determine their funding level and will remit the funds directly to us at the time of your procedure.

Abortion is legal in Virginia. However, Virginia bans abortion after 26 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy and has some other restrictions on abortion access. To figure out how far along you are in pregnancy, count from the first day of your last period. If you are under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must give you permission to get an abortion in Virginia. If getting the permission of a parent or guardian is not an option for you, you can seek a judicial bypass. A judicial bypass allows you to waive the requirement for parental involvement. If you're a minor who would like help navigating the judicial bypass process, contact the If/When/How Judicial Bypass (JB) Helpline. To contact the JB Helpline, call 844-868-2812 or submit a request online.

We encourage you to talk to your parent if you can do so safely and we can help you talk to them; please feel free to speak with one of our patient advocates. However if you cannot tell a parent, you could use a judicial bypass. A judicial bypass is when you can go to a judge (juvenile court) who will have a private discussion with you to decide whether you can have an abortion without parental consent or without notifying your parents. Meadow or another similar group can put you in touch with a volunteer lawyer to help arrange to talk with a judge. The lawyer can be with you and the judge. All of this is free. For more information, you can refer to the Repro Legal Helpline website (their phone number is 844-868-2812) or call our office for support.

The experience of an abortion varies between individuals. The procedure may cause pain or cramping, but many people find the level of pain manageable with sedation and pain management techniques. The level of pain and other side effects a person may experience largely depends on the type of abortion. When someone has a medication abortion (by taking pills), they may experience cramping and discomfort, which can be managed using high dose ibuprofen and tylenol. If the pain becomes severe, we recommend that you call our after hours line or the M&A Hotline for guidance or seek care at a nearby urgent care facility. When someone has an abortion procedure, the doctor or nurse practitioner will give an injection or medication to numb the cervix before performing the aspiration. Some patients choose to also use nitrous oxide and/or IV sedation to manage pain. Pain management is an important part of your abortion care, so all of your options will be discussed during your appointment. Because the procedure involves the use of pain relief medications, abortion procedures do not usually cause severe pain. A person may experience a dragging or pulling sensation during the process and cramping of the uterus toward the end of the procedure. Some people may experience moderate cramping for 1 or 2 days after having an abortion procedure, while others will notice almost no symptoms once the procedure is over. If the pain becomes severe, we recommend that you call our after hours line or the M&A Hotline for guidance or seek care at a nearby urgent care facility.

There is no “best” method of birth control. Each method has its pros and cons, and everyone has their own unique preferences for which method they like to use. The birth control method you choose should take into account your overall health, sexual preferences (your sexual orientation, how often you have sex, the number of sexual partners you have, etc.), if you want to have children, how effective each method is at preventing pregnancy, any potential side effects, and your comfort level with using the method. At Meadow, we will work with you to find a method that fits your lifestyle and also keeps you safe. We recommend this page on the Cleveland Clinic's site to provide additional background on various birth control methods.

We provide prescriptions for birth control pills, the depo shot, the ring, the patch, the diaphragm and spermicide. We offer arm implant (Nexplanon) placement, as well placement of all IUD options-Mirena, Liletta, Skyla, Kyleena and Paragard (the copper IUD). We also offer guidance on emergency contraception.

Discomfort or pain may occur with IUD insertion. However, the insertion process is usually quick, lasting around 30 seconds. We also offer pain management for IUD placement, including oral sedation, local anesthesia, nitrous oxide and IV sedation. Most people describe their pain as cramping, and more than half of patients report cramping for 24 hours after insertion; many experience no pain at all. As part of an IUD insertion appointment, we will discuss pain management strategies with you so that you experience the minimum amount of pain. If you’ve had severe pain during a procedure in the past, or if you routinely experience severe menstrual cramping, let your provider know ahead of time so that you can make a plan together. Our goal is to give you the protection you need with minimal discomfort.

Condoms are the only birth control method that can protect against STIs. Condoms can be used for vaginal, anal, or oral sex to help prevent the spread of infections. Latex or polyurethane condoms can reduce the risk of infection. Latex condoms meant for a penis are the best method for protecting against STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Internal condoms used in the vagina, or front hole, have similar properties to condoms meant for a penis, but researchers have not studied their effectiveness in reducing the spread of STIs to the extent of a penis condom.

Emergency contraception, or emergency birth control, is used to help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex (sex without using birth control). “Unprotected” can mean that no method of birth control was used. It can also mean that a birth control method was used but did not work (like a condom breaking). Or, a person may have forgotten to take their birth control pills, or may have been forced to have sex when they did not want to. Emergency contraception should not be used as regular birth control. Other birth control methods are much better at preventing pregnancy. Emergency contraception does not protect against STIs including HIV. Emergency contraception can be a pill (like Plan B or ella), Paragard® copper IUD, or LILETTA® or Mirena® levonorgestrel-releasing IUD. Emergency contraceptive pills need to be used as soon as possible after unprotected sex and no later than 5 days after the encounter.

Emergency contraceptive pills are also known as “morning after pills.” Ones you may have heard of are Plan B, Ella or next day contraception.