Find Abortion Clinics

The law dictates that all abortions must be carried out at clinics licensed to perform the procedure and that two doctors must agree that you have met the conditions in the Abortion Act 1967. This could be a specialist clinic, NHS Hospital or Private Hospital. NHS clinics are licensed automatically but private clinics have to be registered and monitored.

Having an abortion with the NHS should not cost you anything but this very much depends on the local NHS Trust in your area. Sometimes the NHS will pay for you to have an abortion at a private clinic. Private clinics charge different prices. These costs can depend on the number of weeks you are pregnant and prices range from £400 - £800. It is often cheaper and quicker to have an abortion earlier in your pregnancy.

If you decide to have an abortion, you will usually visit your doctor or family planning clinic first and they will refer you to a specialist clinic for an initial consultation where you will be offered counselling. Alternatively, you can contact a private clinic directly and refer yourself. At this appointment you will also take a pregnancy test and have an ultrasound scan which will indicate how many weeks pregnant you are and which procedure you will need. You may also be offered an STI test too.

I am under 16 do I need to tell my parents?

Having an unplanned pregnancy is an upsetting, confusing and frightening experience so it is always a good idea to tell someone what is happening. This could be a parent but also another adult could be there for support. If your doctor thinks you are able to agree to your own medical treatment you can have an abortion. Remember it is entirely confidential so no-one can be told unless you agree to it.

Does my boyfriend or partner have a say in what I do?

You may wish to discuss all your options with your partner or boyfriend but they do not have any formal or legal rights over whether you have an abortion or not. The final decision is yours and you should try not to be influenced by anyone. It is important that you are completely sure you have made the right decision for you.

How do I know how many weeks pregnant I am?

You can calculate how many weeks pregnant you are by working out how many weeks it has been since the first day of your last period. This gives you the number of weeks and days you are pregnant and also an indication of what treatment may be available to you. It doesn’t have to be exact as you will be offered a scan which will determine exactly how many weeks pregnant you are. If your pregnancy is very early sometimes the embryo is so small that it can’t be seen on a scan. If this is the case you may be asked to return in a week or so for another scan.

What is an Ectopic Pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy is very dangerous and needs urgent medical help. It is when the embryo implants in a fallopian tube instead of the womb. If you are very early on in your pregnancy the treatment unit might not be able to pick up on this. It might therefore be missed during treatment.

Signs to watch out for an ectopic pregnancy:

Continuing symptoms of pregnancy
Abdominal pain, especially if it’s on one side and severe
Pain under the ribs or in the shoulders
Fainting or feeling light-headed

Am I able to be sterilised at the same time as having an abortion?

You can arrange to be sterilised at the same time as having an abortion however, the decision to be sterilised is a permanent one and quite a drastic solution. You would need to be very sure that this is what you want. For many women they know that the families they already have are complete and there is no possibility of having any more children. For other women they just need to know they won’t be able to get pregnant again as perhaps it might cause major medical problems. There are other contraceptive options available and all solutions can be talked over with you by a professional counsellor.