The day before the procedure, the woman visits the doctor for tests, and to either have rods inserted in her cervix to help dilate it or to receive medication that will soften the cervix and speed up labor. On the day of the abortion, drugs, usually prostaglandins to induce contractions, and a salt water solution, are injected into the uterus. Contractions begin, and within 8-72 hours the woman delivers the fetus. Side effects of this procedure include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea from the prostaglandins, and pain from uterine cramps. Anesthesia of the sort used in childbirth can be given to mask the pain.
Many women are able to go home a few hours after the procedure.
Later abortions cost more. Second trimester abortions are much more costly because they often involve more risk, more services, anesthesia, and sometimes a hospital stay. Insurance carriers and HMOs may or may not cover the procedure. Federal law prohibits federal funds including Medicaid funds, from being used to pay for an elective abortion. The doctor must know accurately the stage of a woman's pregnancy before an abortion is performed.