At very early stages of pregnancy, when such confirmation is not as reliable, termination can be verified by measuring the level of pregnancy-related hormones in the bloodstream. The actual abortion procedure usually takes between three and ten minutes, with additional time required for surgical preparation, tissue confirmation and the patient's recovery. 2 Research in 1986 compared 924 MVA procedures up to eight weeks' gestation with over 1,500 procedures using an electric vacuum source up to 12 weeks' gestation. The procedure is also an effective way to alert providers about the possibility of ectopic pregnancy at an early stage, when nonsurgical treatment, such as medical abortion with methotrexate, is possible. The protocol of obtaining an early abortion with MVA is the same as that for all early procedures.
Patients undergo a series of lab tests and have a sonogram.
Depending on the results of the sonogram, the woman, in consultation with a medical professional, determines the best procedure and the optimal timing for the abortion.