What It’s Really Like Inside An Abortion Clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that specializes in providing abortions, but what really happens inside the doors of these mysterious buildings is seldom discussed. Here's the unfiltered truth of what it's really like, straight from former clients and clinic workers. While some may provide other women’s health services, their focus is in their name: abortion.
The Focus on Abortion Over Other Options
Abortion clinics prioritize abortion and abortion-related work over other choices like adoption, parenting and pregnancy care. In fact, in the 2020 Planned Parenthood Annual Report, abortions made up 96.6 percent of their pregnancy resolution services, while other care options made up only a small fraction of their work.
| Service Type | Percentage of Services |
|---|---|
| Abortions | 96.6% |
| Prenatal Services | 2.2% |
| Miscarriage Care | 0.7% |
| Adoption Referrals | 0.5% |
The Divide Between Clinics and Standard Healthcare
This creates a divide between a typical doctor’s office and an abortion clinic. Abortion clinics are part of an industry that makes money through selling specific services to women – and that’s very different. If you were to walk into an OBGYN’s office with a problem, the doctor would go through a list of questions, taking their time to hone in on the most effective solution for your case.
Another reason most doctors don’t provide abortion is because it is in direct opposition of the Hippocratic Oath, the ethical foundation of healthcare: “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel… I will endeavor to do no harm to human health or the natural environment.” Consequently, 86 percent of OBGYNs in the U.S. won’t provide abortions in any form to their patients.
Financial Costs and Insurance Issues
Another misconception is that an appointment at an abortion clinic is covered by insurance. Because it is different than a normal visit to a doctor, many women have to pay out-of-pocket due to the Hyde Amendment. Below are the typical costs for these procedures:
- Abortion pill (average): Around $580
- In-clinic abortion: $700 to $2,200 (based on the age of the baby)
- Telemedicine abortion pill: $200 to $500
None of this includes the cost of pre-abortion screening, which includes pregnancy testing and an ultrasound.
Inside the Clinic: Environment and Worker Testimonials
Women report the environment of an abortion clinic to be heavy, chaotic and lacking comfort. In a recent Netherlands study, it found over one-third of women were unhappy and/or dissatisfied with their in-clinic abortion experience. The in-clinic abortion experience remains the same for abortion workers that have spoken out. Workers shared what led them to quit:
- “We had surgical abortion procedures back-to-back-to-back, every 5-10 minutes a new woman would come into the operating room.”
- “We had expired equipment and inadequate sterilization between patients. We would file reports and never hear about it again.”
- “I was doing all of the follow-up care… as the receptionist.”
- “We told everyone it was like taking Tylenol, but when I took it myself, it was by far the most traumatic, painful thing I’ve done.”
Plus, now that Roe has been overturned, demand is higher than ever, and former workers note that almost every patient in the recovery room cried after the procedure.