You will need a support person for some parts of having a medication abortion or a surgical abortion.
If you are having a medication abortion, you will be safer if you have a support person with you while you are taking the second medication.
A support person can help you if you are feeling pain or have any problems from the medication. It is unlikely that you will have serious problem, but if you do, a support person can also help you get medical attention.
If you are having a surgical abortion, you will have anaesthesia for the procedure. Anaesthesia means drugs that are used to stop you from feeling pain during a medical procedure.
You cannot drive after anaesthesia. This means you will need a support person to drive you home after the procedure and stay with you that night.
Doctor’s appointments can be overwhelming and sometimes you may find it difficult to remember all the questions you want to ask.
You might want to write down any questions you have before your appointment.
You can use the Health Direct Question Builder to help you with this. Question Builder is for all heath conditions and some questions may not be relevant to having an abortion.
You may also wish to bring a notebook to write down any questions that you have.
If you think you might feel overwhelmed, you may also want to take your support person to your appointments with a doctor.
If you are going to a GP for an early medication abortion, you can take a support person if you wish to. Your doctor might ask your support person to leave for part of your appointment so they can speak to you alone. This is normal and often required by clinic policies.
At MSI, your support person will need to wait outside the clinic during your appointment.
You should think about the arrangements you need to make before having an abortion. Generally, you will need to take at least one day off from work or study.
If you have children, or have people that you care for, you will also need to arrange care for the day of your surgical procedure.
If you are having an early medication abortion, you will need to arrange care for the day you take the second medication.
If you want to keep the abortion private, you should also arrange care for any of your appointments with a doctor.
In the ACT there are laws to help keep you safe and protect you are going to the MSI Australia clinic for an abortion.
These laws create a 50m zone around the MSI Australia clinic where no protest activity can take place.
The zone stops people from harassing, obstructing, threatening, humiliating or intimidating you when you go to the clinic. It also protects your privacy.
Under the law, new zones can be declared around GP clinics or other health services if they are needed.
If you are harassed while trying to access an abortion, you should let your doctor know.
You can also let call or email us at ReproductiveHealth@womenshealthmatters.org.au. We will use the information to advocate for new zones.
In New South Wales (including Queanbeyan), there are different laws that have a similar impact.
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