Are you pregnant? Unsure about your options? The following resources are designed to help guide you as you make your choice, and provide you with access to resources that can help you implement your choice in the best way for you.
Do you need support with making a decision?
Do you need help getting to and from your appointment?
What are your options for abortion?
Do you need support with making a decision?
All-Options
All Options is a national talkline that welcomes calls at any point during or after pregnancy, whether callers are looking for options counseling, support before or after an abortion, or a chance to talk about parenting, pregnancy loss, adoption, or infertility. They can call while in the midst of making a pregnancy decision, or weeks or years later. Open hearted and judgement-free support
1-888-493-0092
Faith Aloud
The Faith Aloud clergy counseling line provides compassionate and nonjudgmental support from trained clergy and religious leaders of diverse faith backgrounds. If you’d like to talk about the spiritual or religious aspects of your abortion or pregnancy experience, call
1-888-717-5010.
Do you need help getting to and from your appointment?
Abortion Support Services Atlantic
This organization provides non-medical support to anyone seeking abortion care in the Atlantic provinces. This may include emotional or peer support, offering rides, gas cards, or arranging for a place to stay. ASSA may coordinate with other organizations to help you find funding, arrange and pay for flights.
Contact:
assa.coordinator@gmail.com
What are your options for abortion?
There are different factors that will affect your choice of abortion.
These include:
- How far along you are in your pregnancy. In medical terms, this is called “gestational age,” and is measured in weeks and days since the first day of your last period. (For example, the first day of your last period was October 1st. It is now October 29th. You are four weeks pregnant, or four weeks gestational age.)
- Whether you can have — and if you want — a medication or a surgical abortion
The information below should help you better understand your options.
Medication Abortions
If you are less than nine weeks from the first day of your last period, you qualify for a medication abortion*
The following clinics offer medication abortions (not surgical)
Saint John Sexual Health Centre 506-658-3998
Fredericton Northside Community Health Centre 506-447-4444
Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre 506-452-5900
These clinics offer medication and surgical abortions
Moncton Family Planning Clinic
Call 1-844-806-9205 Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Due to the often high volume of calls, please leave a detailed message on our voicemail.
Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre (Moncton)
Call: 506-869-2770
Clinic 554
Located in Fredericton
1-855-978-5434 ext 3
Surgical Abortions
If you are at least six weeks from the first day of your last period, you can get a surgical abortion*
Moncton Family Planning Clinic
Offers medication abortions and surgical abortions up to 15 weeks 6 days
Call 1-844-806-9205 Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Due to the often high volume of calls, please leave a detailed message on our voicemail.
Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre (Moncton)
Offers medication abortions and surgical abortions up to 13 weeks 6 days
Call: 506-869-2770
Bathurst Family Planning Clinic, Chaleur Regional Hospital (Bathurst)
Offers medication abortions and surgical abortions up to 13 weeks 6 days
Call: 506-544-4150
Clinic 554
Offers medication abortions and surgical abortions up to 15 weeks 6 days.
Located in Fredericton
1-855-978-5434 ext 3
Surgical abortions beyond 16 weeks
If you are beyond 16 weeks gestational age you may need to travel outside New Brunswick to access abortion.
These resources provide reliable information about abortions and access accross Canda and the US, including how to apply for transportation support:
National Abortion Federation Canada
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
ACHR offers an Access Line, 7-day a week toll-free, confidential phone and text line. It is available for questions about sexual health, pregnancy options, abortion, and safer sex. They provide information and make referrals to sexual health providers.
Call: 1-888-642-2725 (10:00- 10:00PM AST.)
Text: 613-800-6757
Emergency Contraceptives
Two main options exist for emergency contraception to prevent a pregnancy after having unprotected sex: (a) taking a medication that delays ovulation or (b) having an IUD inserted. Remember, these interventions do not protect against sexually transmitted or blood borne infections, and we would encourage all folks to get tested after unprotected sex.
The Morning After Pill
This medication contains a hormone called levonorgestrel that prevents or delays ovulation, meaning it stops the egg from leaving the ovary until the sperm has left your body. This means the pill will not always effectively prevent a pregnancy. For example, if you have recently already ovulated, it is too late for the pill to be effective. It does not end a pregnancy that has already implanted.
Also, the morning after pill is not effective for folks whose weight is above a certain number (the exact weight is stated on the box containing the pills).
See the section on ‘Copper IUD’ if you need options other than the morning after pill for emergency contraception
You can buy the morning after pill without a prescription at local pharmacies. Talk to the pharmacist to see if it is effective for you. Remember to tell them what the first day of your last period was so they can help you figure out if you are already ovulating.
Copper IUD
Another option to prevent pregnancy is to have a health care provider insert a Copper IUD within 7 days of sexual activity.
It is found to be 99.99% effective at stopping a pregnancy.
To access emergency copper IUD insertions:
Moncton Family Planning Clinic:1-844-806-9205
Clinic 554 in Fredericton: 1-855-978-5434
Saint John Sexual Health Centre: 506-658-3998
Contraception
The following websites provide excellent information about IUDS and other contraception:
Sex and U
Published by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
Bedsider
***If you want an hormonal IUD and don’t have insurance, ask your health care provider to request a free compassionate IUD from Bayer.
What are the differences between a medication and surgical abortion?
(This information is meant to help guide your decisions about abortion, however it is not medical advice and you should always consult with a primary care provider if you have questions)
| Medication Abortion | Surgical Abortion |
| Process: You swallow a pill that blocks the hormones which support the pregnancy. 24-48 hours later, you place other pills in your cheek or vagina/front hole. These pills cause the uterus to contract and push out the pregnancy tissue. This causes cramping and bleeding that is usually heavy. On average, the abortion is completed 3 days after the first pill, but it may take several weeks. Very Important: There’s a chance that you made need a surgical abortion if the pills fail. | Process: Before the procedure, you take antibiotics to prevent infection and medications for pain, to relax, and sometimes to soften your cervix. Most of these medications you take by mouth, but sometimes you will require medication in your vagina/front hole. The doctor freezes your cervix, then opens your cervix using an instrument called a dilator. The doctor places a tube into your uterus and uses a gentle suction to remove the pregnancy tissue. On average, the abortion is completed within 5 to 15 minutes. Certainty of completion is the same day |
| Safety: Very safe. Less than 1% of people experience problems like getting an infection or heavy bleeding that requires treatment such as a blood transfusion. The risk of death is extremely small (less than 1 in 100,000). Surgical abortion is required in some cases of heavy bleeding | Safety: Very safe, less than 1% of people experience problems like an infection or heavy bleeding that requires treatment like a blood transfusion. The risk of death is extremely small (less than 1 in 100,000) |
| Appointments: You may need 4 appointments: blood work, office visit with a practitioner, follow up blood work, follow up appointment with doctor or nurse. Community health centres and hospitals possibly provide blood work and visits with a practitioner in one appointment. If the medication didn’t completely work, you will require more appointments. You will take a at-home urine test 1 month later and if a positive result would require a follow up appointment with doctor or nurse | Appointments: 1 day appointment that typically takes 2-3 hours. |
| Bleeding: Expect heavy bleeding and cramping for a few hours. A prescription for medication to manage pain may be provided. Expect 1-2 days of heavy bleeding and strong cramps that can range from worse than a normal period to pain that may feel like labour. You may see an identifiable fetus if the pregnancy is over 7 weeks. You may have some period-like cramps for a few days afterwards. Light bleeding usually continues for 2 weeks, but may last longer. | Bleeding: Expect light bleeding. Moderate to strong cramping happens briefly during the procedure and usually improves within 20 minutes. Conscious sedation (a gas that helps you tolerate the cramping) is provided during the procedure. You will not see an identifiable fetus. You may have some period-like cramps for a few days afterwards. Light bleeding usually lasts for up to 2 weeks but may last longer. |
| Location: You can have the abortion at home or in any location that feels safe and comfortable | Location: Abortions are performed in a clinic or hospital with a specially trained doctor and nurse |
| Efficacy: 93-96% effective if the pregnancy is less than 9 weeks. Medications become less effective the longer the gestational age. Between 9-10 weeks the medications are 93% effective. 5 in 100 people may require a surgical abortion to complete the abortion | Efficacy: >99% effective. A second procedure is rarely required. |
| Side Effects: Side effects from the pain or medications include diarrhea, fever/chills, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headache. These side effects usually happen over a few hours when the pregnancy is expelling from the uterus. These side effects can be treated with other medications There is no effect on fertility or your ability to get pregnant in the future | Side Effects: Depending on the medication given, side effects from the medications could include drowsiness, nausea, mild abdominal pain, diarrhea and headache. There is no effect on fertility or your ability to get pregnant in the future |
| Support person: Medication abortion can be completed alone or with a support present. | Support person: Surgical abortions requires someone to take you home. There may be volunteer drivers available (see resources above) |
| Gestational Age: Can be done if you are less than 9 weeks from the first day of your last period | Gestational Age: You need to be at least 6 weeks from the first day of your last period. If you are beyond 16 weeks gestational age, you will need to access care outside of New Brunswick. |
| Coverage/Cost: Mifegymiso, blood work and doctor visits are covered under NB Medicare | Coverage/Cost: Only covered by NB Medicare if completed at Moncton City, George Dumont or Chaleur hospitals. Clinic 554 charges $700 and can arrange subsidies for those who cannot access care at a hospital and cannot afford fees. . |
Reproductive Justice New Brunswick - RJNB 