Common Second Trimester Abortion Procedures
- Orlando Women's Center
- Apr 20, 2021
- 3 min read

Dilation and evacuation have become the most common methods of termination in the second trimester. The use of luminaries tents, adequate preoperative cervical enlargement, specialized instruments, and the gradual acquisition of surgical skills from the early 2nd trimester has contributed to the increased safety of these methods. There are many possible combinations of mid-trimester abortion techniques. For example, most procedures use laminar tents, but oxytocin infusions have better results, as do amnioinfusions with hypertonic saline and urea.
One possible modification of the procedure would be that the woman would have to undergo additional invasive steps during D & E to induce fetal declines, such as an injection into her abdomen or cervix. According to leading authorities, induction is the safest and most effective method of abortion after the second trimester and is preferred to D & E in certain cases, such as burial or autopsy. Induction is less common than D and E for various reasons. Although rarely used in the United States, another possible option is to induce labor with medications administered during D & E. Second trimester abortion complications are dangerous for women’s health so handle it carefully.
If performed correctly, dilation and evacuation (D & E) are one of the methods available for second-trimester abortions. D & E is performed to remove tissue from the uterus during an abortion during a second-trimester pregnancy. It is recommended for women diagnosed with a second-trimester pregnancy where the fetus has severe medical problems or abnormalities. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause depression, which may require treatment.
In the second trimester (15-23 weeks after the last menstruation) abortions can be performed within two days and do not require overnight stays in the hospital. These abortions are called dilatation and evacuation or D & E. Meet with a health educator or doctor at the UCSF Women's Options Center every first Tuesday to prepare for the procedure.
Depending on your gestational age, it may take you one to two days to receive a laminaria injection into the uterus to induce fetal decline. This can take between four and six hours. In a private examination room, you get to know the procedure and undergo an examination, an ultrasound, and receive oral medication.
Your doctor may decide to give you a drug called misoprostol or Arthrotec to prepare the cervix. You will also receive the first dose of antibiotic therapy to prevent infection. Your doctor may use a type of dilatation rod called Dilapan, which is used the same day as the surgery. Before the operation, you will receive intravenous sedation (general anesthesia) so that you can sleep during the procedure.
Surgical Process
Your doctor removes the dilated rod by scraping the uterus with the sharp tip of an instrument called a curette. Vacuum cleaners and other surgical instruments are used to extract the fetus and placenta. During the procedure, an ultrasound is used for orientation. This process can take up to an hour.
Cost, safety, and effectiveness According to Planned Parenthood, an abortion in the first trimester can cost as much as $1,500, though abortions in the second trimester tend to be more expensive. The procedure in a hospital can be more expensive than in a clinic. Your doctor will be able to explain what options are available in your state.
It can be performed in a hospital and does not require overnight accommodation. It can also be performed in a clinic where doctors are trained to perform abortions. During a D & E procedure, your doctor will give you the first dose of antibiotics to prevent infection.
In abortions after the second 12 weeks, the cervix has to expand, which requires vacuum aspiration. A hollow tube (cannula) is passed through the uterus. The cannula is attached to a tube or bottle that is pumped to create a gentle vacuum to remove tissue from the uterus. This is guided through a gripping instrument (forceps) into the uterus to hold a large piece of tissue. For the rest of the procedure, there is no cramping.
An instrument called a curette is used to check if the uterus is empty. Abortion after 12 weeks is, for example, a procedure in the second trimester that is similar to an abortion in the first trimester, except that the cervix is prepared.
This procedure opens the cervix much more slowly than abortion in the first trimester. For this purpose, numerous thin rods made of algae are inserted one to two days before the abortion. Once it is open, the doctor pulls out the fetal part with forceps.
When you become pregnant, a fertilized egg nests in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. In surgical abortion, the pregnancy - the so-called contents - is surgically removed from the uterus or vagina. In a surgical abortion, the cervix is opened wide enough to allow surgical instruments to enter the uterus. To get information about Early second trimester abortion, visit the best clinic.
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