What is later abortion?
In general, NAF considers later abortion care to be care for patients over 26-28 weeks from their last period. Options for abortion care become more limited as pregnancy advances, and once a patient is over 26-28 weeks there are significant legal and financial hurdles to care. At this stage in pregnancy, care is available from a limited number of hospitals and clinics.
As the leading professional membership body for abortion providers nationwide, NAF supports abortion care and access throughout pregnancy and opposes legislation and policies that interfere with that care, including viability limits and gestation-based bans. Learn more about NAF's position.
Why do people need later abortion care?
Patients need later care because they have faced barriers to accessing a wanted abortion that delay their journey or are facing new information that leads them to an abortion decision or both. Barriers include finding a provider, raising money, getting childcare, collecting documents, resolving travel logistics and garnering emotional, social, and psychological support for their decision. New information may include a new diagnosis of pregnancy, discovering a pregnancy, information about the health of the pregnancy, or changes in relationships, finances, and support for having a baby.
What happens during a later abortion appointment?
Every clinic has different procedures for later abortion, and you should ask how the procedure works. In general, the procedure goes over multiple days and steps to safely and gently open the cervix before an abortion procedure or delivery. The procedure may be different based on your pregnancy dating or other factors like your age, medical conditions, and pregnancy history.
The steps may include:
- an injection in the pregnancy sac or fetus to stop the fetal heartbeat
- overnight medication to open and soften the cervix
- one or more sets of overnight dilators in the cervix
- medications that cause contractions and induce labor
- a vaginal delivery of the fetus and placenta
- a procedure to remove the fetus and placenta
This was a wanted pregnancy. How will I be treated in an abortion clinic?
Abortion providers care for all kinds of people, including people who have a wanted pregnancy that needs to end. Abortion providers are sensitive to all the emotions that their patients go through, including grief, sadness, and anger and understand how difficult the journey may be to get to them. Your provider may offer you opportunities and mementos including counseling, ultrasound images, pictures, foot and handprints, autopsy services, and the opportunity to have the baby taken care of by a funeral home once the abortion is complete.
Where can I get care?
Later abortion care is available in clinics and hospitals and may be available from your own obstetrician/gynecologist on a case-by-case basis. Many hospital-based providers who give this care do not advertise their services.
NAF clinics provide this care. They can be found here. NAF-Accredited clinics have been assessed for their quality and adherence to NAF’s Clinical Policy Guidelines. Funding is available for care at NAF-Accredited clinics by calling the National Abortion Hotline at 1-800-772-9100.
Another current list of outpatient later abortion providers can also be found here.
What other resources are available to me?
Below is a list of other resources. NAF does not endorse or monitor these resources and information may change.
GetLaterCare.com A bilingual guide that answers common questions about finding a clinic, payment, travel, procedure details, and aftercare. The guide was created by people with deep experience in later abortion care including providers, clinic staff, practical support workers, and people who have had later abortions.
Later Abortion Initiative. Factual and comprehensive information about later abortion care.
Repro Legal Helpline. Legal support for pregnancy, pregnancy loss, abortion, birth and parenting.
Ending a Wanted Pregnancy. Website and online support group for patients ending a pregnancy due to medical reasons.
All-Options Talkline. A pro-choice peer talkline dedicated to open-hearted support of patients experiencing abortion, pregnancy loss, and difficult pregnancy decisions.
Physicians for Reproductive Health. Abortion Later in Pregnancy: A Policy and Care Primer
Patient Forward. Who Not When. A patient-centered resource for understanding abortion later in pregnancy.
References
Kimport K. Is third-trimester abortion exceptional? Two pathways to abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy in the United States. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2022 Jun;54(2):38-45. doi: 10.1363/psrh.12190. Epub 2022 Apr 10. PMID: 35403366; PMCID: PMC9321603.
Rocca CH, Samari G, Foster DG, Gould H, Kimport K. Emotions and decision rightness over five years following an abortion: An examination of decision difficulty and abortion stigma. Soc Sci Med. 2020 Mar;248:112704. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112704. Epub 2020 Jan 13. PMID: 31941577.