What is a Consultation?
A consultation will always happen before abortion treatment. Consultation appointments give time to talk through treatment options. Consultations include a clinical assessment to find the safest and most effective abortion option for you.
Our teams are caring, understanding and non-judgemental. We are here to give medical advice, information about abortion options and support during treatment. We will not influence you or force you into making your decision. If there is anything you do not understand, please don’t be afraid to ask. We are here for you.
What Happens at a Consultation?
Talk About Pregnancy Options
We will ask you about the pregnancy options you have considered. Options can include:
Your decision should be personal to you. You should be able to make this decision without feeling under pressure or forced by anyone.
We can talk to you about the types of abortion care: Medical Abortion (abortion pills), and Surgical Abortion.
If you decide to continue the pregnancy you must tell your GP or midwife as soon as possible. It is important to get antenatal care if continuing a pregnancy.
Legal Requirements
We will ask your reasons for wanting an abortion. This is to check legal conditions for us to offer treatment. Two NUPAS doctors will review the consultation notes to authorise treatment.
We will also talk to you about consenting to receive treatment. You will need to be 100% sure about your decision. If you have any questions about treatment, please ask the nurse.
If you are undecided, that’s ok. This decision is yours to make. If you need more time to think about it, you can make an appointment later. If you feel like counselling sessions would help you to make a confident decision, we can arrange this for you.
Learn more about the abortion counselling services we provide.
Clinical Assessment
The clinician (a nurse or midwife) will do a clinical assessment during the consultation. To do this they will take information about your health and medical history. Everything you tell us is confidential.
If we ask you to visit a clinic for a face-to-face clinical assessment the clinician will do the following checks:
Want to find out more about the clinical assessment and what to expect during a visit to a NUPAS clinic?
Talk About Contraception
The nurse will talk to you about contraception options. Fertility can return as soon as 5 days after an abortion. This means you can get pregnant again if you are not using contraception. There are lots of contraception types to choose from. We can help you find a new contraception if your old one hasn’t worked well.
Consultation Options
At NUPAS we have two types of consultation:
Yes, an abortion consultation is a legal requirement for providing abortion care. You will need to have a consultation with a clinician before the treatment is offered. This consultation can be conducted face-to-face or over the phone. If you are under 16 years old, you will need to be seen at one of our clinics.
During the consultation, the clinician will review your medical history to determine the best treatment options for you. They will explain what the abortion procedure involves, including potential risks and complications, to ensure you can provide informed consent. The clinician will also be available to answer any questions you may have.
If you need more time to make your decision, please let us know. We can arrange for you to speak with a trained counsellor if you think it would help you feel more confident in your decision.
If you start feeling unsure about having an abortion after your consultation, don’t worry. You can change your mind at any time before the treatment begins. If you decide not to proceed, just inform us so we can cancel your appointment.
If you change your mind after taking the first medical abortion tablet (Mifepristone) and decide to continue the pregnancy, please inform us as soon as possible. While Mifepristone is not known to cause birth anomalies, there may be an increased risk of miscarriage later in the pregnancy. We also recommend informing your GP and midwife.
There are no clinical guidelines that recommend any medications to reverse a medical abortion.
You can let us know if you are taking any regular medication during your clinical assessment. If you are taking prescribed medication you should continue to take these as normal. If you are prescribed Aspirin, Warfarin or Clopidogrel (Plavix), please tell the clinician during your consultation.
For your consultation please have a list of any medicines or inhalers that are prescribed to you.
- For your abortion treatment:
- Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing.
- Have a supply of sanitary towels that are suitable for a heavy flow (not tampons).
- Have a supply of pain relief at home, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, or any regular pain relief medication you would normally use.
- Heat pads or a hot water bottle can also be effective at managing pain.
If you are having a surgical abortion with sedation or general anaesthetic, we will give you instructions on how to prepare for treatment.
NUPAS offer free pregnancy testing. Book a consultation for pregnancy advice.
If you’re unable to do a pregnancy test yourself, you can bring a urine sample to your consultation. For accurate testing, bring a sample of the first wee in the morning as this will contain higher levels of the hormone we detect for pregnancy.
Alternatively, you may be able to get a free pregnancy test from your GP.
Booking your Consultation Appointment
Call us to speak to an advisor. Lines are open from 8am - 8pm, 7 days a week. An advisor will take details from you over the phone and give you a consultation appointment date.
From UK:
0333 004 6666
From Republic of Ireland:
(01) 874 0097
From all other countries:
0044 161 4872660
You can also arrange for us to call you back instead if you prefer.
If you have any questions you can talk to one of our team on our live webchat. Our advisors are available from 8am - 8pm, 7 days a week.