Hamilton Health Sciences provides surgical abortions along with D&C & miscarriage support services up to 16 weeks and 6 days. For patients who are undecided about what to do when facing an unintended pregnancy, specialized nursing staff are available to assist with options counselling.
Care We Provide
- Aspiration and curettage
- Complex family planning care
- Dilation and curettage
- Dilation and evacuation
- IUD insertion
- Pregnancy options counseling
- Termination for fetal anomalies
- Treatment/D&C for miscarriage
We do not currently offer medical abortions but can help arrange a referral if needed.
What to Expect
Please plan to be at the clinic for approximately 4 hours. Please bring photo identification with your health card to the clinic. Any support person/partner will need to show photo ID to be allowed access to the clinic. Due to the sedation you are given, you are unable to drive yourself home and will need to arrange transportation post procedure.
Please do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your appointment. Water in small amounts can be had up to 2 hours before your visit.
Options Counseling
If you are undecided what to do when facing an unintended pregnancy, just let the intake worker know. A nurse can meet with you to discuss your options (adoption, abortion, or parenting). While most women are certain of their decision at the time of the appointment, we give everyone a chance to weigh the pros and cons of the procedure.
You may also wish to visit All-Options or call 1-888-493-0092.
Post-Abortion Support
If you had an abortion at HHS and would like to talk to someone about your feelings, please contact the clinic to make an appointment with our social worker. Alternatively, you can call:
- All-Options, a non-directive counseling phone line, at 1-888-493-0092
- Exhale, a Pro-Voice phone line, at 1-866-4-EXHALE
FAQs
Will I be asleep for the procedure?
We use sedation for the procedure. You will not be “asleep” but you will be comfortable, and may not remember much about the procedure. We do not perform general anaesthesia.
Do I need an ultrasound before the procedure?
An ultrasound will be performed on site before the abortion.
Does my family doctor need to know?
No. We do not need a referral.
Does my partner need to know?
In Canada you do not need consent from a partner to have an abortion.
Do my parents need to know?
In Canada, there is no “age of majority”, meaning a woman of any age can consent.
I’m not sure what I want to do or how I will feel after.
That is normal. You do not have to go ahead with the abortion if you are not ready. The social worker can help you explore your feelings, or you may wish to check out one of the resources listed on this page.