Abortion Summary An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed health care professional. The decision to end a pregnancy is very personal. If you are thinking of having an abortion, most healthcare providers advise counseling. Array Abortion – medical Abortion – surgical Abortion – surgical – aftercare Ending pregnancy with medications Statistics and Research Abortion in the U.S.: Utilization, Financing, and Access Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Related Issues Abortion, Miscarriage, and Breast Cancer Risk National Cancer Institute Abortions: Does It Affect Subsequent Pregnancies? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Pregnancy Choices: Raising the Baby, Adoption, and Abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists What to Do When Your Pregnancy Is Unexpected American Academy of Family Physicians Treatments and Therapies Cat’s Claw National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Encyclopedia D and C D and C – slideshow Start Here Ending a Pregnancy American Academy of Family Physicians Induced Abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Specifics Medical Abortion Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Mifeprex (Mifepristone) Questions and Answers Food and Drug Administration Second-Trimester Abortion Overview Reproductive Health Technologies Project Journal Articles Induced abortion Teenagers Their Right to an Abortion, Your Right to Know American Academy of Pediatrics