Is it safe to breastfeed after abortion?
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FAQs for Abortion in Singapore.
Contributed by Dr Ben Choey, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Specialist at SBCC Women's Clinic (Clementi).
Under the Termination of Pregnancy Act in Singapore, abortion can only be carried out by an authorized gynecologist in an approved clinic / institution. The doctor must be authorized by the Minister of Health (Singapore) and the clinic must have facilities approved by ministry authorities. SBCC Women’s Clinic (Clementi) is an approved clinic for abortion procedures.
Am I eligible to undergo termination of pregnancy?
Termination of pregnancy can only be performed on any pregnant woman who is:
1. A citizen / permanent resident of Singapore or the wife of a citizen / permanent resident
of Singapore
2. A holder or the wife of a holder of a work permit pass or employment pass; or
3. A person who has been resident in Singapore for at least 4 months
It may also be performed if it is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman.
Who can have an abortion?
According to the Singapore Abortion Act law:
· There is no defined age limit for the abortion procedure
· There is no legal requirement for parental consent for minors
· Abortion is prohibited after 24 weeks (6 months) of pregnancy unless the mother’s life
is in danger.
Can a foreigner undergo termination of pregnancy in Singapore?
It is against the Termination of Pregnancy Act to perform abortions for foreigners who come into Singapore on a social or tourist pass. Abortion can only be performed for foreigners who have stayed in Singapore for more than 4 months consecutively.
Pre-abortion counseling
It is mandatory to provide pre-abortion counseling for a pregnant woman, regardless of marital status, who:
1. Is a Singapore citizen or permanent resident;
2. Has passed the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE);
3. Has at least some secondary education, and
4. Have less than three children.
Pre-abortion counseling is not mandatory for foreigners.
How long do I need to wait before I can have the procedure of termination of pregnancy performed?
At least 48 hours should lapse after pre-abortion counseling (if you fulfill the criteria to undergo pre-abortion counseling) before the pregnant woman can give her written consent to treatment.
Consent for Abortion – is there an age limit?
No parental consent is required, even if the patient is less than 16 years of age (but above 14 years old). However, a patient must be above 16 years of age before an abortion can be performed with her consent alone.
For girls less than 16 years of age, it is mandatory to undergo counseling at the Health Promotion Board Counseling Centre and obtain a Certificate of Attendance before abortion can be carried out. This entire process is strictly confidential and no one will be informed, including parents of the patient.
For girls less than 14 years of age, there is no medical confidentiality to protect them from being reported to the police and to parents, as it is an offence for any male to have sexual intercourse with a girl under 14 years of age (statutory rape).
Process of Abortion Procedure
Generally there are 2 main types of abortion procedure:
Vacuum aspiration (up to 14 weeks)
The patient needs to fast for 6 hours, and a trained anesthetist will administer sedation in the clinic. A small tube is then placed into the womb via the vagina, to remove the pregnancy. The process takes only about 10 minutes and it is painless. The patient will be monitored closely for an hour post procedure and should be able to return home within 1-2 hours.
Mid-Trimester Termination of Pregnancy (MTPT) (14-24 weeks)
MTPT is a more complicated process and involves hospitalization for a day or two. Medicine is inserted into the vagina at regular intervals to induce expulsion of the pregnancy. The womb is then cleaned by vacuum aspiration and curettage after the fetus and placenta are aborted. As this process is much more complicated, early decision is important.
Potential Complications of an Abortion
Bleeding
It is normal to expect light bleeding for a few days after an abortion, and normal menses will usually return in 4-5 weeks. However, prolonged and heavy bleeding may occur if the womb has not been emptied completely. It is therefore important to see your gynecologist for a follow up visit 1-2 weeks after an abortion for an examination.
Incomplete evacuation of womb
Due to anatomical variations of the womb position, it may not be possible to completely evacuate all the pregnancy contents using the vacuum aspiration method. However this is uncommon under skilled hands.
Pain
It is very common to experience menstrual cramp like pain immediately after the procedure as the womb contracts. It is usually manageable with painkillers and pain usually resolves in a day or so. However, if pain persists beyond a few days, it is important to have a check by your gynecologist.
Pelvic infection
Infection can occur if bacteria travel up into the womb during the procedure, or if the womb has not been emptied properly. Infection can present as unpleasant vaginal discharge, fever and lower abdominal pains. If some tissue remains inside the uterus, it may be necessary to have a procedure to remove the contents in the womb.
It is advisable to avoid sexual intercourse for about 2 weeks after an abortion procedure.
Injury to the womb
During a surgical termination, insertion of instruments may risk puncturing a hole in the wall of the womb. The risk is increased if the cervix was not prepared adequately, or if the womb position is abnormal. If this is suspected during the procedure, the operation will be stopped immediately and the patient will need to be transferred to the hospital for observation overnight or have a keyhole surgery performed to check for bleeding and repair the injury. This complication, however, is rare.
Will my records of abortion be kept confidential?
The entire process of consultation and abortion is kept strictly confidential, and no third parties will know about your abortion. This includes parents, companies and employers. No medical information will be released without your prior approval and consent.
Cost of an abortion
A first trimester termination (less than 14 weeks) generally costs between $900 - $1600 (this includes consultation, scans, medications, anesthetist fee & surgical fees). This is a medisave-claimable procedure in our clinic (SBCC Women’s Clinic @ Clementi) and Singaporeans/ permanent residents may claim medisave of up to $1050.
Mid-trimester termination (14-24 weeks) will cost more as it involves a more prolonged and complicated process in hospital (estimate amount of $2500 - $3500).
source: http://www.healthwayspecialists.com/healthresource/abortion-singapore
Contributed by Dr Ben Choey, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Specialist at SBCC Women's Clinic (Clementi).
Under the Termination of Pregnancy Act in Singapore, abortion can only be carried out by an authorized gynecologist in an approved clinic / institution. The doctor must be authorized by the Minister of Health (Singapore) and the clinic must have facilities approved by ministry authorities. SBCC Women’s Clinic (Clementi) is an approved clinic for abortion procedures.
Am I eligible to undergo termination of pregnancy?
Termination of pregnancy can only be performed on any pregnant woman who is:
1. A citizen / permanent resident of Singapore or the wife of a citizen / permanent resident
of Singapore
2. A holder or the wife of a holder of a work permit pass or employment pass; or
3. A person who has been resident in Singapore for at least 4 months
It may also be performed if it is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman.
Who can have an abortion?
According to the Singapore Abortion Act law:
· There is no defined age limit for the abortion procedure
· There is no legal requirement for parental consent for minors
· Abortion is prohibited after 24 weeks (6 months) of pregnancy unless the mother’s life
is in danger.
Can a foreigner undergo termination of pregnancy in Singapore?
It is against the Termination of Pregnancy Act to perform abortions for foreigners who come into Singapore on a social or tourist pass. Abortion can only be performed for foreigners who have stayed in Singapore for more than 4 months consecutively.
Pre-abortion counseling
It is mandatory to provide pre-abortion counseling for a pregnant woman, regardless of marital status, who:
1. Is a Singapore citizen or permanent resident;
2. Has passed the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE);
3. Has at least some secondary education, and
4. Have less than three children.
Pre-abortion counseling is not mandatory for foreigners.
How long do I need to wait before I can have the procedure of termination of pregnancy performed?
At least 48 hours should lapse after pre-abortion counseling (if you fulfill the criteria to undergo pre-abortion counseling) before the pregnant woman can give her written consent to treatment.
Consent for Abortion – is there an age limit?
No parental consent is required, even if the patient is less than 16 years of age (but above 14 years old). However, a patient must be above 16 years of age before an abortion can be performed with her consent alone.
For girls less than 16 years of age, it is mandatory to undergo counseling at the Health Promotion Board Counseling Centre and obtain a Certificate of Attendance before abortion can be carried out. This entire process is strictly confidential and no one will be informed, including parents of the patient.
For girls less than 14 years of age, there is no medical confidentiality to protect them from being reported to the police and to parents, as it is an offence for any male to have sexual intercourse with a girl under 14 years of age (statutory rape).
Process of Abortion Procedure
Generally there are 2 main types of abortion procedure:
Vacuum aspiration (up to 14 weeks)
The patient needs to fast for 6 hours, and a trained anesthetist will administer sedation in the clinic. A small tube is then placed into the womb via the vagina, to remove the pregnancy. The process takes only about 10 minutes and it is painless. The patient will be monitored closely for an hour post procedure and should be able to return home within 1-2 hours.
Mid-Trimester Termination of Pregnancy (MTPT) (14-24 weeks)
MTPT is a more complicated process and involves hospitalization for a day or two. Medicine is inserted into the vagina at regular intervals to induce expulsion of the pregnancy. The womb is then cleaned by vacuum aspiration and curettage after the fetus and placenta are aborted. As this process is much more complicated, early decision is important.
Potential Complications of an Abortion
Bleeding
It is normal to expect light bleeding for a few days after an abortion, and normal menses will usually return in 4-5 weeks. However, prolonged and heavy bleeding may occur if the womb has not been emptied completely. It is therefore important to see your gynecologist for a follow up visit 1-2 weeks after an abortion for an examination.
Incomplete evacuation of womb
Due to anatomical variations of the womb position, it may not be possible to completely evacuate all the pregnancy contents using the vacuum aspiration method. However this is uncommon under skilled hands.
Pain
It is very common to experience menstrual cramp like pain immediately after the procedure as the womb contracts. It is usually manageable with painkillers and pain usually resolves in a day or so. However, if pain persists beyond a few days, it is important to have a check by your gynecologist.
Pelvic infection
Infection can occur if bacteria travel up into the womb during the procedure, or if the womb has not been emptied properly. Infection can present as unpleasant vaginal discharge, fever and lower abdominal pains. If some tissue remains inside the uterus, it may be necessary to have a procedure to remove the contents in the womb.
It is advisable to avoid sexual intercourse for about 2 weeks after an abortion procedure.
Injury to the womb
During a surgical termination, insertion of instruments may risk puncturing a hole in the wall of the womb. The risk is increased if the cervix was not prepared adequately, or if the womb position is abnormal. If this is suspected during the procedure, the operation will be stopped immediately and the patient will need to be transferred to the hospital for observation overnight or have a keyhole surgery performed to check for bleeding and repair the injury. This complication, however, is rare.
Will my records of abortion be kept confidential?
The entire process of consultation and abortion is kept strictly confidential, and no third parties will know about your abortion. This includes parents, companies and employers. No medical information will be released without your prior approval and consent.
Cost of an abortion
A first trimester termination (less than 14 weeks) generally costs between $900 - $1600 (this includes consultation, scans, medications, anesthetist fee & surgical fees). This is a medisave-claimable procedure in our clinic (SBCC Women’s Clinic @ Clementi) and Singaporeans/ permanent residents may claim medisave of up to $1050.
Mid-trimester termination (14-24 weeks) will cost more as it involves a more prolonged and complicated process in hospital (estimate amount of $2500 - $3500).
source: http://www.healthwayspecialists.com/healthresource/abortion-singapore
