pregnant and unsure

Abortion
If you are considering having an abortion (also called a termination), then you need to act quickly. Currently the law says termination is only legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy but in reality it may not be possible this late. It is always best to speak to your doctor, family planning clinic or Brook as soon as possible, even if you haven’t made your final decision. This is because there can be a wait for an appointment. The NHS will carry out abortions free of charge or you can go to a private clinic.

Step 1. Getting a Referral
You will need to see your doctor, Family Planning Nurse or Brook as soon as you can. If you do not wish to see your own doctor you can go to another doctor in the same surgery or to another surgery. If your doctor does not agree with abortions then s/he has an obligation to refer you to see another doctor. Remember, it’s what you want that is important. Tell the receptionist that you want to register for family planning services only and that you need an appointment urgently. The longer you leave seeing a doctor the harder it will be to arrange an abortion on the NHS. Remember that your pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period, so time will pass very quickly. It is likely that you will be given a test to confirm your pregnancy. At this point you can ask to be referred for a termination.

If the NHS can’t help you then you can go to a private clinic which is run as a charity. These clinics will charge approximately £450 and the longer you leave contacting them, the more expensive the abortion will become. Only certain clinics are registered and these are the ones to use.

Marie Stopes International 0845 300 8090
British Pregnancy Advisory Service 08457 304030

You can also contact the Young People’s Project Contraception Support Service on 020 8911 9268 or call or text 07738 640 885. They can help you get appointments and make referrals for termination by phone.

Some people find that after a termination they have unexpected feelings.  They may feel a bit low or depressed.  In this situation it can be helpful to speak with someone confidentially. You can contact Brook (see ‘useful links’) or the nurse counsellor at the termination service for a chat or to make an appointment for counselling. In Redbridge, where NHS terminations are done, you can be seen up to a year after your termination.

Step 2. The consultation
At the first visit to Termination Services, a specialist doctor and nurse counsellor will discuss the decision with you. S/he will explain what it will involve. A young woman under the age of 16 can agree to an abortion without telling her parents/guardians if the doctor believes that she fully understands what is involved. You will have a scan to confirm the dates of your pregnancy and should leave with a date for your termination. This is likely to be in 1 to 3 weeks time.

A doctor will strongly advise you to tell your parents/guardians in order for you to have support. You can also contact the nurse counsellor or the counsellor at Brook if you feel there are issues you need to discuss.

"Having the abortion was stressful but it was the right thing to do for me, I wasn't ready."
Female 16

“I’d heard scare stories about it (TOP) everyone had an opinion but it was my choice and it wasn’t bad like everyone said. The staff were good.”
Female 15