First Trimester Surgical Abortion - Suction D&C

The doctor administers local anesthetic to freeze the woman's lower half. A woman is awake during this procedure.

After administering the anesthetic, the doctor (an OB) places a medical speculum inside the vagina. They open the speculum using screws on the sides (picture a duck’s bill). The speculum is used to open the vagina so the abortionist can see the cervix, the entrance to the uterus.

The cervix acts as a gate that stays closed for the duration of the pregnancy until the baby is ready for birth. The abortionist uses a series of metal rods called dilators which increase in thickness, and inserts them into the cervix to dilate it, gaining access to the inside of the uterus where the baby resides. 

The abortionist takes a suction catheter. It’s clear plastic and about 9 inches long with a hole through the centre. It is inserted through the cervix into the uterus. The catheter is attached to a suction machine that has a suction strength 10 to 14 times stronger than a household vacuum cleaner. The baby is torn apart by the force of the suction (at that age, the baby has fragile bones and is small). The baby is then squeezed through the tube into the suction machine, followed by the placenta.

To mitigate the risk of pieces of the baby and placenta being left behind, the abortionist uses a metal rod called a curette. It is a long-handed curved blade. He inserts it into the uterus to scrape the uterine walls. 

Once the uterus is empty the abortionist takes the speculum out and the abortion is over.