Hamilton Health Sciences provides surgical abortion 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
We do not currently offer medical abortions but can help arrange a referral if needed.
Becoming a Patient
You do not need a referral to be seen in the women’s clinic, but visits are by appointment only. A limited number of walk-in ultrasounds are available. If resources permit, you may be able to stay to have the procedure completed the same day. Referrals are accepted by family physicians, obstetricians, and midwives.
Plan to be at the clinic for at least four hours on day of procedure.
Please bring with you:
- Valid Health Card/payment options
- Transportation arrangements day of procedure
- Valid photo ID
- Minimal personal belongings
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 social worker 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.
Can I eat before the procedure?
You may have a light meal up to 2 hours before the scheduled clinic.
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. The social worker can help you if you want help disclosing the pregnancy to a partner.
Do my parents need to know?
In Canada, there is no “age of majority”, meaning a woman of any age can consent. The social worker can help you if you want to disclose the pregnancy to your parents.
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.