Termination of Pregnancy (Abortion) Service

Termination of Pregnancy (Abortion)

The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Termination Service operates at our Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospitals.

An abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy. This can be referred to as a ‘termination of pregnancy' or 'termination'.

An abortion is different from a miscarriage, where the pregnancy ends without medical intervention.

The termination service is a confidential service regardless of age, staffed by nurses and doctors who will care for you in a non-judgemental manner.

Your Questions Answered

1. I have recently discovered I am pregnant, what do I do if I decide not go ahead with the pregnancy?

You can request a termination by one of the following routes:

• Ringing the Centralised Booking System on 0300 330 11 22
• Attending the CaSH Clinic
• Asking for an appointment with your family doctor

It is better if you do this as soon as you find out that you are pregnant.

2. What will happen when I have been referred to the termination service?

We recognise that in many cases this can be a very difficult decision to make and as such once you have been referred you will be sent an appointment to see the Nurse Counsellor. This nurse works within the unit and will discuss your reasons for deciding to have a termination of pregnancy.

You will firstly have an ultrasound scan to determine how many weeks pregnant you are as this information is needed to complete the treatment effectively.

The nurse will also explain how your pregnancy will be ended, so that you can make an informed choice about whether or not you wish to continue with the procedure.

You will also have a routine blood test to tell us what blood group you are and to make sure that you are not anaemic (low in iron).

3. When will the procedure be carried out?

At your counselling appointment, you will be given a date to start your treatment. Ideally this will be carried out as soon as possible, sometimes on the same day.

When you have chosen the type of termination you would like (medical – taking two tablets, or surgical – going for an operation) a date will be agreed to start your treatment. If you have chosen medical this may be on the same day, you would then come back a few days later to take a second tablet to complete the treatment. If you have chosen surgical, in some cases it may be necessary for you to stay overnight when attending for your second appointment. We also offer surgical termination of pregnancy if you are less than 12 weeks pregnant.

4. Where will the procedure be carried out?

Our termination services are carried out at Scunthorpe General Hospital or the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. The telephone number of the ward you will be visiting will be given to you on your first appointment.

Our staff are proud to offer a discrete and non-judgemental service that provides the upmost compassion and care for our patients. We understand that this can be a difficult time and our staff are always on hand to offer support and guidance.

We also offer contraceptive advice and screening for sexually transmitted infections including Chlamydia.