One of the crucial aspects of women’s healthcare in any country is to provide safe and quality abortion services to its people. According to estimates, approximately 25 percent of all pregnancies around the globe end in abortion. An abortion clinic should take care of both your emotional and medical health. Choosing to end your pregnancy is a very difficult decision to make but once you have decided that, the next major step is to choose an abortion clinic that provides sensitive and expert care.

The following are the top 5 qualities that you should look for while choosing a clinic for undergoing abortion:

• The staff that attend you should be polite and kind

The way the clinic staff treats you is one of the qualities that you should pay attention to while choosing a clinic to terminate your pregnancy. If the person at the clinic you speak to is cold, robotic, and indifferent then this may indicate how that abortion clinic views and treats its patients. A proper and quality clinic will make sure to treat its patients with kindness, sensitivity, and understanding from the very first phone call or visit of the patient to their last visit. You should also feel comfortable with and reassured by the individual you speak to at the clinic. In the event you feel un-cared for, judged or uncomfortable for any reason, it’s better to switch clinics.

• The clinic should offer you a safe and effective procedure

Another important quality that you should look for in an abortion clinic is the way the doctor attends you, their competence, and the safety and efficacy of the procedure they provide. You should know that abortion is successful when it has no associated complications, maintains your fertility for future pregnancies, and should not be life-threatening to you.

• The clinic should provide you with clear and accurate information

While looking for an abortion clinic, choose one that provides you with clear and accurate information about the procedure. This includes what happens during the procedure, when to call for help (for instance, what to do if you have heavy bleeding), and post and pre-abortion care. A good quality clinic will make sure that you are well informed about the procedure so that it makes it easier for you to make the right decision about getting an abortion. If the clinic provides thorough information  and instructions about the procedure, then it is a good indication that you will receive quality services there. Providing information requires effort and time; hence, if the person you have talked to is well informed about the procedure, then they will likely put the same effort and time into each facility and service they provide.

• The clinic should maintain your privacy and confidentiality

Similar to any other medical clinic, abortion clinics should also maintain your privacy and confidentiality. Furthermore, since abortion still carries a stigma in many communities, it may add to the stress of undergoing an already stressful experience. In many abortion clinics, there is only one room by way of which everyone has to enter and exit. This may make you leave through a waiting room (after getting the procedure) full of people waiting for their turn. This can be a cause of shame and stress in those who want to keep the procedure private. Ideally, an abortion clinic that solely offers that service should have such a set up in which the patient, after getting an abortion, leaves by way of a separate waiting room. This reduces the number of individuals with whom they come into contact.

• The clinic should provide effective follow-up care and services

A final important quality that you should look for in an abortion clinic is whether the clinic provides you with effective follow-up care and services. Providing follow-up checks is an important and vital aspect of quality healthcare. If a clinic is following up after the abortion procedure, it indicates that the healthcare provider cares about your health even after the procedure. At your follow-up appointment, you can get the detailed information regarding after-care and also discuss if you have any concerns or questions.

Tips on how you can choose a quality abortion clinic:

• Never trust the ads on the internet or in your area’s phone book.
• If possible, get a referral for a clinic from someone whom you can trust.
• Call the abortion clinic and ask for information such as whether they do abortion or not. Avoid clinics that don’t give straightforward answers.
• Ask regarding their services. For instance, you can ask what services and procedures do they offer? Can you take your parent or friend with you? What are the types of anesthesia that are offered and who will administer the anesthesia? What is their call of action in case of emergencies?
• Ask regarding their fees. Ask what is covered in those fees. Do they take Medi-Cal or insurance?
• When you visit the clinic, notice the clinic and its staff. Is the clinic dirty or clean? How experienced is the doctor who will do the procedure? Are they happy to give you all the details you want?

‍