Feminist Women’s Health Center is an Atlanta abortion clinic that provides both surgical abortions and medication abortions.

Surgical abortion is a common, safe, and legal way to end a pregnancy. If you are pregnant and are considering an abortion – we are here to help. If you are undecided, we provide resources and counseling and will support whatever decision you make.

We offer surgical abortion services to patients at our Atlanta clinic in their first or second trimester of pregnancy (up to 21 weeks from last menstrual period). In the first trimester, our physicians perform a vacuum aspiration procedure, which is the most common first trimester abortion procedure. During the second trimester, our physicians use the Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) technique, which is the most common procedure.

If you would like more information about surgical abortion procedures at our Atlanta clinic here are the details about each procedure:

First Trimester Surgical Abortion (up to 12 weeks from last menstrual period): After administering anesthesia, this procedure begins with gentle opening (dilating) of the uterus (cervix). The physician then inserts a small tube connected to an aspirator, a medical instrument that creates a gentle suction, to remove the contents of the uterus.

Second Trimester Surgical Abortion (12.0 – 16.6 weeks from last menstrual period): Prior to the procedure, we administer a medication called Misoprostol, more commonly known as cytotec. The patient is required to wait for an average of 2 hours. The physician then performs the surgery (under anesthesia) by using medical instruments to evacuate the uterus.

17.0 – 21.6 weeks from last menstrual period: For the comfort of our patients, this procedure is performed under anesthesia. This procedure occurs over two days and our patients are required to remain in the Atlanta area overnight. On the first day, the physician places laminaria, a medically prepared seaweed, into the opening of the uterus (cervix) to gently open it.

On the second day, after the cervix has been sufficiently dilated, the physician performs the surgery (under anesthesia) by using medical instruments to evacuate the uterus.

Here is what you can expect during a surgical abortion appointment at our Atlanta clinic:

• Prep – To prep, do not eat or drink anything after midnight before the day of your procedure.
• Ultrasound – You will undergo an ultrasound exam to confirm the length of pregnancy.
• Lab work – We will perform routine blood tests before the procedure.
• A private counseling session – At Feminist Center, we believe in empowering our patients to make the decision that is best for them. For that reason, we provide private counseling sessions to educate patients on their options and provide support. We will never perform an abortion on a patient who has not made a decision of their own free will or who is not ready to make a decision. If a pregnant person is firm in their decision, then the counselor reviews informed consent information with the patient, answers questions about the procedure, explores birth control options, if needed, and discusses after-care instructions.

In addition to surgical abortion, we also provide medication abortions at our Atlanta clinic. Both procedures are safe and effective. You can speak to our compassionate health educators to learn about your options and the services we provide, including medical and surgical abortion. Call us at 404-728-7900 or toll-free 1-800-877-6013 to make an appointment today.