Hutt Valley Hospital
Almost all patients from the Hutt Valley region will need to travel to Te Mahoe Unit in Wellington for their abortion care.
Abortion under general anaesthetic is provided in Hutt Hospital for those who insist on Hutt Hospital for exceptional circumstances. The referring doctor needs to contact Hutt Hospital gynaecologists to discuss this.
National Abortion Telemedicine Service
A nationwide early medical abortion by phone service (up to 10 weeks of pregnancy) is also available directly by contacting The Women's Clinic on 0800 ABORTION (0800 226 784) or via the website www.thewomensclinic.net.nz/contact
The First Step
To be referred, you can see a GP or Family Planning doctor. They will talk to you and organise some essential blood and swab tests, offer you a counselling appointment and, if you wish, book you an appointment at the clinic at the Te Mahoe Unit in Wellington Hospital.
Counselling
Counselling is a essential part of the process at the Te Mahoe unit. As well as offering counselling they will also explain the process and options available to you. The counsellor is also available to you after you have been through the termination.
Medical Termination at the Te Mahoe Unit
Medical termination is available to all women up to 9 weeks of pregnancy.
If you are less than 7 weeks pregnant you may be able to have all of the medicines at the same time.
If your pregnancy is between 7 and 9 weeks you will need to come back later in the day or the following day for another medicine.
Once you have taken the final medication you will have the option of staying for the day for the miscarriage to occur on the ward, or going home for it to happen in your own surroundings.
Surgical Termination at the Te Mahoe Unit
The procedure is done by vacuum aspiration under local anaesthetic (awake) up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.
For pregnancies between 14 and 19 weeks in performed under General Anaesthetic (asleep) as a day stay.
Follow-up
Follow-up is provided by the referring doctor. Follow-up counselling is available, as above, through the counsellors at the Te Mahoe Unit.