Abortion in South Africa

An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy.

It’s also sometimes known as a termination of pregnancy.

The pregnancy is ended either by taking medicines or having a surgical procedure.

How to get an abortion

Abortions can only be carried out under the care of an NHS hospital or a licensed clinic, and are usually available free of charge on the NHS.

There are 3 main ways to get a termination on the NHS:

you can self-refer by contacting an abortion provider directly – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), MSI Reproductive Choices UK, the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS) or your local NHS sexual health website can tell you about eligibility and services in your area
speak to a GP and ask for a referral to an abortion service – the GP should refer you to another doctor if he or she has any objections to abortion
contact a sexual health clinic (sometimes called family planning or GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinics) and ask for a referral to an abortion service

Waiting times can vary, but you should not have to wait more than 2 weeks from when you (or a doctor) first contact an abortion provider to having an Termination.

You can also pay for a termination privately (not on the NHS) if you prefer. Costs for private abortions vary depending on the stage of pregnancy and the method used to carry out the procedure.

When can it be carried out

Most terminations in England, Wales and Scotland are carried out before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

They can be carried out after 24 weeks in very limited circumstances – for example, if the mother’s life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability.

Most termination services will ask to perform an ultrasound scan to work out how many weeks pregnant you are. The length of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period.

Terminations are safer the earlier they’re carried out. Getting advice early on will give you more time to make a decision if you’re unsure.

Deciding to have an abortion

The decision to have an abortion is yours alone.

Some women may be certain they want to have a termination, while others may find it more difficult to make a decision.

All women requesting an abortion can discuss their options with, and receive support from, a trained pregnancy counsellor if they wish.

Impartial information and support are available from:

your GP or another doctor at your GP practice
a counselling service at the abortion clinic
organisations such as Brook (for under-25s), BPAS, MSI Reproductive Choices UK and NUPAS

You may also want to speak to your partner, friends or family, but you do not have to. They do not have a say in your decision.

If you do not want to tell anyone, your details will be kept confidential.

If you’re under 16, your parents do not usually need to be told. The doctor or nurse may encourage you to tell a parent, carer or other adult you trust, but they will not make you.

There are organisations, usually known as crisis pregnancy centres, that offer counselling around pregnancy. They do not refer people for abortion, and may not offer balanced or accurate advice.

If you go to a place that offers pregnancy counselling and you’re not sure if they will refer you for an abortion, ask if they refer people for the Termination.

What happens during an termination

Before having a termination, you’ll have an appointment to talk about your decision and what happens next.

Whenever possible, you should be given a choice of how you would like the termination to be carried out.

There are 2 options:

medical abortion (“abortion pill”) – you take 2 medicines, usually 24 to 48 hours apart, to induce an abortion
surgical abortion – you have a procedure to remove the pregnancy and normally go home soon afterwards

After the termination, you’ll probably need to take things easy for a few days. It’s likely you’ll have some discomfort and vaginal bleeding for up to 2 weeks.

Read more about how an abortion is carried out.