Frequently Asked Questions

You have three options when facing an unplanned pregnancy. You can carry the pregnancy to term and raise a child yourself; you can continue with the pregnancy and place the child for adoption or in foster care or you can choose to have an abortion to terminate the pregnancy. It’s important that you take the time to consider all of your options and discuss the issue with your partner, a friend or a family member (if you feel safe and comfortable doing so). Ultimately the decision of whether or not to continue with the pregnancy should be yours.

If you choose to have an abortion, ensure you choose a safe and legal provider like us, Marie Stopes South Africa, as there are many unsafe, backstreet abortion providers out there. Coming to our centres is easy, you just need to book an appointment online or call us on 0800 11 77 85. Our team will tell you what to expect and let you know what plans to make for the day of your appointment.

There are two options available to you which are the Marie Stopes Medical Process i.e the safe abortion pill (4-9 weeks) and the Marie Stopes Surgical Abortion (4-20 weeks).

All our centres offer abdominal scans/ultrasounds as well as pregnancy test to confirm if you are pregnant and, if so, the stage of the pregnancy.

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act states that a women can have an abortion at any age- you should never be denied the service because of your age. If you’re young we advise you to chat to a trusted adult (a parent, aunt or teacher) and ask someone to accompany you to the centre for your appointment, but this is not required.

Yes, we can assist women from anywhere in the world. If you are travelling from another country we may not be able to provide you with the option of the Marie Stopes Medical Process as in requires an in-country follow up appointment after 3 weeks.

You will have a consultation with a nurse who will explain your options to you. She or he will take your medical history, it is important to be honest and disclose a full history, your confidentiality is assured. She or he will then perform a physical examination, including a vaginal exam to determine the stage of your pregnancy. This may include an abdominal ultrasound/scan. If you are more than 12 weeks pregnant your procedure will need to be performed by a doctor. We may need to book an appointment for you to return on a separate day, depending on the doctor’s availability.

The law which governs abortion in South Africa restricts procedures at 20 weeks except in some cases where there is a threat to the woman’s health. Marie Stopes South Africa is only designated to provide abortion services up to 20 weeks.

Marie Stopes Medical Process abortion, sometimes referred to as the safe abortion pill, uses pills/tablets to terminate a pregnancy. The first set of tablets is taken orally in the clinic and the second set is taken later at home. Early surgical abortion (4-12 weeks) involves a gentle suction method, which the nurse will use to remove the pregnancy from the uterus. This is a very quick and simple procedure that takes less than 5 minutes. The Surgical abortion (12- 20 weeks) is a surgical procedure where the pregnancy is removed vaginally it is performed by a doctor.

Neither option is better than the other- it’s a question of both personal choice and medical history that will determine the method that is best for you. Some women say they prefer to finish the procedure in one day, others feel that the medical process more suits their lifestyle. A nurse will provide all the details to help you decide during your consultation.

On the day of your appointment one of our supportive nurses will offer you a consultation session, including a physical exam. Once the stage of your pregnancy is confirmed you’ll be asked some questions about your medical history- it’s important to provide all of the relevant information requested (i.e. if you have a blood disorder like anemia or deep vein thrombosis).

Your eligibility for the Marie Stopes Medical Process may be affected by previous pregnancies and deliveries. It will depend on how many cesarean sections you have had and how recently.

One of the Marie Stopes staff will be talking to you to comfort you and relieve pain without medication during the procedure. This is called the Vocal Local method. Some of our centres also have an option called conscious sedation which makes you sleep during the procedure.

Conscious sedation is available at selected Marie Stopes centres. It is a form of anesthetic that allows you to feel sleepy and relax or fall asleep during the procedure. If you decide to opt for sedation its important to let us know when you make your booking so that we schedule you on the appropriate time and date. You will also receive a set of fasting guidelines to follow, so you know when to stop eating and drinking.

We advise that you do not have vaginal intercourse or insert anything into your vagina for one week.

You can conceive again as early as one week after an abortion so it’s important to talk to a nurse about a contraceptive method that’s right for you. We have a wide range of contraceptive and family planning methods available for you to choose from.

If you opt for the Marie Stopes Procedure you do not need to come back to the centre unless you have a question or would like another service. If you choose the Marie Stopes Medical Process you will need to come for a follow up visit 3 weeks later. Call us on 0800 11 77 85 or make a booking for your follow up.

In around 1% of medical processes the pregnancy may continue even after taking the medication. If you have continued symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea, vomiting or breast tenderness you should contact our Client Services centre. A positive pregnancy test 2 to 3 weeks after your process began does not indicate a continued pregnancy. This may just be caused by the pregnancy hormones still in your system. If the pregnancy is continuing after the Marie Stopes Medical Process we will perform the Marie Stopes Surgical Procedure at our centre at no cost to you.

You can travel as soon as you feel well enough to after the procedure but we do not recommend the Marie Stopes Medical Process for women who are travelling a significant distance (by air or road).

Because we do not have triage facilities if you are already in the process of an abortion we recommend you present yourself at your nearest hospital for treatment. If you have purchased “abortion pills” from someone who is not a designated provider do NOT consume the medication. Call us on 0800 11 77 85 to book a safe abortion.

All modern contraceptive methods are very effective, Marie Stopes South Africa’s contraceptive method chart shows the effectivness of each. Methods that involve placement by a healthcare provider such as an implant, an IUD or an IUS are most effective because they leave less room for human error (ie. forgetting to take a pill, going in late for your injection). Condoms, contraceptives for men, leave the greatest room for error. The two most common mistakes are not holding the tip when rolling the condom on which can lead to breakage, and failing to remove the condom while the penis is still erect, which can lead to spills. Which is why it’s always best to use condoms along with another method to prevent pregnancy and HIV and STIs.

Hormonal methods can cause increased appetite which is easily regulated with diet and exercise. If weight gain is a central concern you may choose to opt for a method that slowly releases a low dose of hormones over time (like an implant) or one that doesn’t contain any hormones at all (like a cooper IUD or “loop”).

The IUD is a small plastic and copper device that is fitted into the uterus. It’s placed by a trained healthcare provider (either a nurse or a doctor) provides protection against pregnancy for 5 or 10 years, depending on the model. You can have it removed at any time.

The implant is a small, matchstick- sized subdermal rod, meaning that it is fitted under the skin of the upper arm by a trained healthcare provider (usually a nurse). The implant slowly releases a low dose of hormone that provides protection against pregnancy for 3 or 5 years, depending on the model.

Note that some methods have contraindications (reasons why they are not advisable for women with certain health concerns) so it is important to be open and honest about your full medical history. This includes what contraceptive methods you have used in the past and whether or not you are a smoker. Your healthcare provider will be able to give you advice on what method is suitable if you are affected by: Diabetes, Hypertension, Vaginal bleeding, Deep vein thrombosis, Allergies, HIV, Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs)

Emergency contraception can be taken within 5 days of unprotected sex, but the earlier you take it the more effective it will be so visit a centre as soon as possible. Also consider testing if you’re worried about being exposed to HIV or STIs.

While there is no limit to the number of times you can take emergency contraception (EC) we recommend you only use it in emergency situations. If you find yourself using it regularly find time for a contraceptive consultation to learn more about your short and long acting contraceptive options. EC also offers no protection against HIV and STIs.

Testing for HIV and STIs may include a urine sample, pap smear and/or a blood test.

At Marie Stopes we have two ways to test for HIV and some STIs: a rapid test (with results while you wait) or a laboratory test (with results that take about 5 days to process).

You will NOT always know that you have an infection, often symptoms can be missed or mistaken and sometimes you may show no symptoms at all. Everyone who has sex is at risk of an STI and should be tested regularly. You should be tested if you have: • Unusual genital/anal discharge • Genital sores, growths or lumps • Pain when passing urine • Painful sex or bleeding after sex • Pain in the lower abdomen • Genital pain • Irregular bleeding between periods Symptoms of an STI may come and go; this does not mean that the infection is cured. Also, having one STI can make you more vulnerable to others. Be tested regularly. The risks of leaving an STI untreated can vary from pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, infertility in both men and women and even chronic debilitating secondary infections. Book an appointment at your nearest Marie Stopes HIV testing centre.

Common STIs include: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, syphilis, hepatitis A, B and C. The most common way STIs are transmitted is through vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom. Some STIs (like genital warts) can be transmitted from skin to skin contact during sex. Bacteria and viruses that cause STIs can be found in semen (sperm), vaginal and anal fluids, breast milk and blood (including mouth sores) and are passed on through: sexual intercourse, direct contact with infected blood, needle stick injuries or from mother to child during breastfeeding. The most common areas of the body infected are the genitals, anal area, mouth and throat. At Marie Stopes women can also be tested for common vaginal infections such as thrush and bacterial vaginosis and receive pap smears which test for precancerous cervical cells and the human papillomavirus (HPV).

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. People who have the virus are HIV positive and capable of passing the virus on to their sexual partners, through blood-to-blood contact or mother to child during delivery and breastfeeding. HIV weakens the immune system, which affects the body’s ability to fight common illnesses and to stay strong and healthy. It can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome for which there is currently no cure. Selected Marie Stopes centres also provide CD4 count services to clients who have tested positive for HIV. Make an online booking or call us on 0800 11 77 85.

The South African HPV Advisory Board recommend that a woman begin having pap smears when she becomes sexually active or turns 21 each year until the age of 30 and then every 3 years after the age of 30. Get in touch for a pap smear cost estimate.

You cannot be screened during your period, so the best time to make your appointment is roughly two weeks after the first day of your period (between days 10 and 16 of your monthly cycle).

The nurse will ask you to lie back and will gently insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina, so she can view your cervix. A brush or spatula is used to take a sample of cells from just inside the opening of your cervix.

Women usually report finding their pap smear momentarily uncomfortable but note that it is extremely quick. Most women tell us that their health and piece of mind is worth the brief and mild discomfort. It is best to try to relax as much as possible, to reduce potential discomfort.

The laboratory will examine your sample for any cells which appear to be irregular. The results will be returned to the Marie Stopes Centre were you had your pap smear exam who will inform you of any irregularities.

Any change in the cells of your cervix usually happen very slowly so there is no need to panic if your results come back as irregular. Our staff can give you a full explanation of what the test results show, and advise you on what to do next. If your results show cell changes, we may recommend that you have another smear test after a period of time or refer you to the appropriate medical specialist for further examination.

Test results at Marie Stopes South Africa Centers may take up to 7 working days to be released and are dependent on the types of tests conducted. At Marie Stopes, we take the utmost care in ensuring that all tests are conducted thoroughly to ensure the best care for our clients.