What Is Abortion?
Abortion, Is the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability (in human beings, usually about the 20th week of gestation). An abortion may occur spontaneously, in which case it is also called a miscarriage, or it may be brought on purposefully, in which case it is often called an induced abortion.
Spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages, occur for many reasons, including disease, trauma, genetic defect, or biochemical incompatibility of mother and fetus. Occasionally a fetus dies in the uterus but fails to be expelled, a condition termed a missed abortion.
There are two types of abortion treatment, ‘Medical’ and ‘Surgical’ abortion:
1. Medical abortion: The abortion pill
Abortion pill (also known as early medical abortion) up to 10 weeks
- Involves taking medication to cause an early miscarriage (women experience cramping, pain and heavy bleeding).
- No surgery or anaesthetic
Abortion pill from 10 weeks up to 24 weeks
2. Surgical abortion
Vacuum aspiration up to 15 weeks
Removes the pregnancy by gentle suction.
Up to 14 weeks of pregnancy this can be done with local anaesthetic. The quicker recovery time for this option means you can leave the clinic unattended and drive sooner.
Up to 15 weeks it can be done with sedation (relaxed and sleepy).
One visit to the clinic and you go home the same day.
Surgical abortion involves a quick, minor operation. There are two types of surgical abortion:
Dilatation and evacuation between 15 and 24 weeks
Carried out with general anaesthetic.
The pregnancy is removed using narrow forceps passed through the neck of the womb and some gentle suction.
One visit to the clinic and you go home the same day
What is the cost of a safe abortion in Ghana?
The costs of safe abortions differ by facility (private or public), provider and the method used (medical or surgical abortion). The price of medical abortion pills is around GHS50 -GHS150. The costs of medical abortion in a medical facility can range between GHS 260 and GHS 360 while a surgical abortion can be accessed at a cost between GHS 320 and 360 GHS. Generally a medical abortion costs significantly less than a surgical procedure.
Which abortion pills are available in Ghana?
There are two types of abortion pills available in Ghana
A combination of Misoprostol and Mifepristone is available under the brand names MM Combi Kit and Mariprist
Misoprostol alone is available under the brand name Cytotec
Where can I buy abortion pills in Ghana?
Misoprostol (Cytotec) and/or the combination of Misoprostol and Mifepristone are not legally permitted to sold in pharmacies in Ghana; however, many of them still do it. This means that there are a lot of unapproved medical abortion pills on the market, and the prices will vary between pharmacies.
Note:
Many pharmacists do sell the pills without a prescription; however they do not often provide proper instructions on eligibility, dosage and usage for a medical abortion. Please refer to the following page on our website for comprehensive instructions on how to use the piIl.
What do abortion pills look like in Ghana?
The most common brand name for abortion pills in Ghana is MM Combi Kit.
This is what the MM Combi Kit abortion pill looks like:
This is what the Misofem abortion pill looks like:
This is what the Mifabon combipack abortion pill looks like:
This is what the Mariprist combipack abortion pill looks like:
