Everyone’s experience of discovering a pregnancy is different. For some, deciding to have an abortion is straightforward, while for others it can be more complex. There are many reasons why people may decide to end a pregnancy. No matter what your reason is, we are here to support you.
At the Northern Health Abortion Service our team of health professionals includes midwives, doctors and a counsellor. We provide a safe, confidential, pro-choice, and highly professional service to women and gender diverse people.
What to expect from the service?
- Early Medical Abortion (EMA) up to 9.0 weeks gestation
- Surgical termination of pregnancy (STOP) up to 13.6 weeks gestation
- Counselling and emotional support for women and gender diverse people, including non-directive pregnancy counselling
- Contraception advice and provision to people attending for abortion care, including insertion of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as Implanon implant and intrauterine device (IUD)
- Sexual health screening and cervical screening to people attending for abortion care
Our clinic is open on Thursdays and Fridays at Broadmeadows Hospital. All appointments take place in the morning.
1. First phone call – booking-in appointment
Your telephone booking-in appointment takes around 10-20 minutes and is completed with a midwife. In this appointment you will be asked about the following:
- Your contact information
- The date of your last menstrual period
- Your preferred method of abortion
- Your pregnancy and medical history
- Any tests that you have done, including blood tests and ultrasound
- Any concerns you have
At the end of the phone call we will book you for your face to face abortion appointment.
2. Face to face clinic appointment
On the day of your abortion appointment you will be seen in our clinic by a doctor and a midwife, and you can also request to see the counsellor if you would like to.
Early Medical Abortion (EMA):
If you are attending for medical abortion you will be in the clinic for up to 2 hours. During the appointment you may need to complete a blood test, and you will be offered contraception, a sexual health screen, and a cervical screen (if you are over 25 years old). You will receive your medication prescription on the day of your appointment.
We will provide weekly telephone follow-up appointments for two weeks. You will need to do a blood test to check your hormone levels 1-2 weeks after taking the medication.
Surgical Abortion (STOP):
If you are attending for a surgical abortion you will be at the hospital for around 8 hours. Your surgical procedure will happen on the same day as your clinic appointment. Your clinic appointment will be in the morning, and you will be offered contraception, a sexual health screen, and a cervical screen (if you are over 25 years old). Your procedure will happen in the afternoon.
If you are having a surgical abortion you can’t eat anything from 7.00am on the day of your appointment, and you will need a support person to take you home at the end of the day.
Appointment information
Referrals:
You can self-refer to our service by calling
or alternatively you can complete our
When you call please leave a message with your name and phone number and we will call you back between the hours of 9am – 4.30pm. It can take 24-48 hours to receive a return call. We are currently not able to answer the phone or return calls on Wednesdays, weekends or public holidays.
Referrals to our service can also be made by your GP or community care provider. If you require an interpreter or wish to have contact with an Aboriginal Liaison Officer please let us know.
Cost:
- There is no cost for appointments or procedures for people with a valid Medicare card, Asylum Seekers, or those with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement
- There is a small cost for pharmacy items such as contraception and the medication used for early medical abortion
- If you are Medicare Ineligible please click here for information about costs
Support and information
If you require further information about abortion, contraception or sexual health:
Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Telehealth Early Medical Abortion
Telehealth early medical abortion is available through Virtual Specialist Consults. If you prefer telehealth care please check the website for your eligibility and book an appointment online.
Location
Contact us
Resources
If you require information about abortion in other languages:
If you require support following sexual assault:
24-hour counselling line
if there’s been a recent sexual assault
If you are experiencing family violence and need support:
If you require information about abortion in Victoria: