Allegheny Reproductive Health Center

Allegheny Reproductive Health Center performs abortions up to 19 weeks of pregnancy counting from the first day of your last normal period. This includes the abortion pill, called Mifeprex,  which is available from 5 to 9 weeks, early aspiration abortion from 5 to 7 weeks, and regular abortion from 7 to 19 weeks. The procedure used for abortion is vacuum aspiration or D&E, among the safest methods of abortion available today. Abortions are performed each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. An appointment should be made at least 3-4 days in advance. You may bring your own support person into surgery with you - partner, mother, father, sister, friend. Let us know if this is something you'd like to do.

The procedures are performed by board certified, licensed gynecologists under the supervision of our medical director, who is currently Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and on staff at nationally acclaimed Magee Women's Hospital and a past Chief of Staff there. All of our physicians are on staff at Magee and at the medical school at Pitt as well.  Our clinic staff includes nurses, medical assistants, licensed lab technicians and master's level counselors.

Before coming to the clinic you should bathe or shower and dress in loose, comfortable clothing. You should bring several maxi pads and a first morning urine specimen. You may bring one guest and should expect to be here 4 or more hours.

After you are checked in, you will be seen by our lab technician for blood and urine tests. The testing includes urinalysis, pregnancy test, hematocrit, and Rh antibody screening. You will then complete a medical history questionnaire, which you will discuss individually with a counselor. The counselor will also discuss any emotional aspects or other concerns related to the abortion and help you choose a method of birth control. Next, a counselor explains the procedure. You will then see the doctor for the abortion, which takes approximately 5 minutes.

After the procedure, you will rest in an informal recovery room for 30 to 60 minutes. RhoGam is administered to women whose Rh factor is determined to be negative by our lab. Prior to discharge from the clinic, you will be given birth control supplies, an antibiotic and a detailed information sheet containing precautions and instructions. You are also given the number of our 24-hour answering service in case you have any post-abortion questions.

Early Abortion

Allegheny Reproductive Health Center performs early abortion from 5 to 7 weeks from the first day of the last normal period. The early abortion differs from our regular procedure in several ways. One, at this early stage the pregnancy is so small that the doctor must perform an ultrasound both before and after the abortion in order to visualize it. A second difference is the aspiration is usually performed with a syringe, rather than by the aspiration machine.  The syringe is a quieter, safer, and gentler method.

Early  abortion may be an option for you if you do not want to wait until you are 7 weeks from the first day of your last normal period. Scheduling conflicts, uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, a desire to terminate the pregnancy early in its development, and other reasons can make early abortion a good option.

Patients Find Comfort in Early Terminations

After struggling to come to a decision about her unplanned pregnancy, Linda, a 27 year old Pittsburgh native, finally made up her mind. A self-described practicing Catholic, prayed, seeking guidance from God. "I finally felt that it was morally okay for me to have an abortion," she said, "because I'm so early in my pregnancy. As a nurse, I know a lot about fetal development..."

Many women describe their relief at being able to choose early terminations, which are performed between five and seven weeks from her last period. Reasons for early terminations are as varied as those who choose them.

"I didn't want anyone to know about this," explains Renee, a 19 year old college student, "but I was so nauseous in the morning it was getting harder to hide. My family wondered why I was running to the bathroom every five minutes. I don't like lying to them but I know they wouldn't support my choice to have an abortion."

Sometimes the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy make women come in early. Such was the case with Diane, a patient from the Greensburg area. "The man I was involved with turned out to be a total jerk. He wasn't willing to be a father, but he didn't come with me or help me pay for it either. It's devastating to realize he isn't the man I thought he was. I'm sad, but I'm putting this part of my life behind me and making a new start."

Another patient chose early abortion because her family's income was threatened by the illness that came with the positive test. "I've called off twice in the last week because I've been so sick," confides Stacey, a 32 year old accounts manager from West Virginia. "As a single mother, I can't afford to miss work. My kids depend on me."

We are happy to offer several termination options, including medical, surgical and early abortions, to meet your needs.

Allegheny Reproductive Health Center has listened to what you, our patients, have asked for. We now offer:

YOUR CHOICE OF SUPPORT PERSON

You may bring your partner, (we created a website specifically for men at   MenAndAbortion.com), mother, or a friend into the abortion procedure with you to hold your hand, talk to you, or just keep you company. More than ten years ago we were the first clinic in the state of Pennsylvania to offer this option and many patients are very grateful that we responded to their requests. Whether you prefer to go into the procedure alone or with your own support person, our carefully trained staff person will be at your side. 

PRIVATE PATIENT OPTION

For those of you who would prefer to come to the clinic on a day or at a time when other patients are not here, we offer a completely private abortion. You can avail yourself of Allegheny Reproductive Health Center's expertise and 28 year experience without the wait and lack of privacy that a regular clinic appointment entails. You can also avoid contact with the protesters if you choose to be a private patient. The cost for the private abortion is $400 over the cost of an abortion during regular clinic hours. Please note that your insurance will not cover this additional cost.

NO WAITING OPTION

On the date of your appointment, if you want to be seen by the doctor as soon as your counseling has been completed and not have to wait, we now have an option in which you can elect to be moved ahead of other patients when the doctor arrives. Regardless of how many patients are scheduled ahead of you, for an additional $100 on weekdays and $200 on Saturdays you will be moved ahead of the other patients. This is an excellent option for those whose schedules are tight, who have child care concerns, or who just don't like to wait. Be sure to tell us if you want this option so we know in advance to give you preference.

If you choose to come to Allegheny Reproductive Health Center and you have a suggestion that would help us provide even better service, please tell us. We are always eager to do all we can for you, our patients.