MTP FAQs

Following are the common questions about MTP:

1. What is medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?
2. Who performs MTP?
3. Why is medical abortion done?
4. What is the average cost of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?
5. What factors affect the overall cost of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?
6. What documents are required for medical termination of pregnancy?
7. What are the legal grounds for medical abortion in India?
8. What are the limitations of MTP?
9. What are the benefits of MTP?
10. What common tests are done Before MTP?
11. What happens during medical termination of pregnancy?
12. How would I feel during the medical termination of pregnancy?
13. Is medical abortion painful?
14. Is it essential to undergo a medical abortion under the guidance of an OB-GYN?
15. How long does MTP take to complete?
16. What is the recovery time of MTP?
17. What should I avoid after undergoing medical abortion?
18. What are the possible complications of medical termination of pregnancy?
19. Who should not undergo a medical abortion?
20. When should I visit my doctor after undergoing MTP?
21. Is medical abortion a safe procedure?

Q. What is medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?

A. Medical termination of pregnancy, also called medical abortion, is a procedure to end an unwanted pregnancy, so it doesn't turn into the child's birth. During the process, the obstetrician-gynecologist uses medications or a combination of medicine to terminate the pregnancy until 8-9 weeks.

Q. Who performs MTP?

A. An obstetrician-gynecologist licensed under MTP Act is a medical professional authorized to perform a medical abortion. (An OB-GYN is a specialist doctor in women's health, such as menstruation, childbirth, and menopause.)

Q. Why is medical abortion done?

A. Medical abortion is done to terminate an unwanted pregnancy before 8-9 weeks. The following can be the primary reasons for the same:-

• To complete an incomplete miscarriage.
• If a woman has a particular health condition, that will continue the pregnancy life-threatening for her.

Whatever the reasons for undergoing medical abortion are, you should always undergo this procedure at an MTP registered clinic under the supervision of a licensed and experienced OB-GYN.

Q. What is the average cost of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?

A. The average cost of a medical termination of pregnancy ranges between Rs. 2500 to Rs. 5000. However, the charge may vary from case to case as several factors determine it.

Q. What factors affect the overall cost of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP)?

A. Several factors affect the overall cost of medical abortion, mainly including the following:-

• Price of medicines used
• The fee of the obstetrician-gynecologist
• Location and type of clinic
• Charges of the diagnostic tests done before medical abortion
• Extra procedures in case of emergency
• The fee of follow-up meetings with the doctor during the MTP

To know the average cost of MTP in your city, you can contact or visit a registered MTP clinic and discuss it with the staff.

Q. What documents are required for medical termination of pregnancy?

A. Mainly, the following two documents are required at the clinic to undergo medical abortion:-

• Age proof (18+)
• Written consent of the patient

Q. What are the legal grounds for medical abortion in India?

A. Following are the four main grounds for abortion in India:

• Failure of contraception (birth control)
• Grave risk to mother’s physical or mental health
• Genetic abnormalities in the fetus
• Sexual assault, such as rape (allowed until 24 weeks pregnancy)

Q. What are the limitations of MTP?

A. Medical termination of pregnancy is the best method to terminate an early pregnancy, primarily until 8-9 weeks. It henceforth has the following limitations:

• May result in incomplete abortion
• Drugs used during the procedure may have side effects. Involves heavy bleeding and cramping
• It cannot be used in cases of ectopic/molar pregnancy
• Minimum 3 follow-up meetings are required during the MTP process

Q. What are the benefits of MTP?

A. Medical termination of pregnancy is the best way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy in its early stage. Following are the benefits of MTP:-

• Anesthesia is not required
• It's a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure
• It's more private, similar to natural miscarriage
• It is done at a gynecology clinic

Usually, abortion is done in two ways - medical abortion and surgical abortion. Which method of abortion is best for you depends on several factors. To know which method of abortion suits you the best, you should directly talk to an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Q. What common tests are done Before MTP?

A. Before performing medical termination of pregnancy, the OB-GYN recommends specific diagnostic tests such as pelvic ultrasound and blood and urine tests. Pelvic ultrasound is done to confirm the duration of the pregnancy and to detect underlying medical conditions such as ectopic or molar pregnancy.

Blood and urine tests are done to detect other medical conditions such as anemia, diabetes, low or high blood pressure, or sexually transmitted diseases to ensure no risk of complications during or after the procedure.

Q. What happens during medical termination of pregnancy?

A. Medical termination of pregnancy involves using a combination of two different medicines known as Mifepristone and Misoprostol. The patient needs to take the first medicine at the clinic under the guidance of the OB-GYN. Then, the patient needs to take the second medicine within 24-48 hours of the first medicine, and it can be taken at home or the clinic.

After taking the second medicine, the termination of pregnancy starts within 24 hours. The first medicine blocks the necessary hormone for pregnancy. It detaches the embryo from the uterine wall, and the second medicine causes the uterus to contract and open the cervix slightly to terminate the pregnancy.

Q. How would I feel during the medical termination of pregnancy?

A. During the medical termination of pregnancy, you may experience slight fever, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting. However, these symptoms go away as you start passing the pregnancy.

Q. Is medical abortion painful?

A. Yes, medical abortion is an excruciating process. You may experience considerable pain, discomfort, excessive bleeding, and cramping as you expel the fetus .

Q. Is it essential to undergo a medical abortion under the guidance of an OB-GYN?

A. Yes, it's essential to undergo the medical termination of pregnancy under the strict supervision of an experienced and licensed OB-GYN. Having a medical abortion without the guidance of an OB-GYN can result in serious complications such as:-

• Extensive bleeding
• Incomplete abortion
• Nausea, fever, chills
• Pelvic and urinary infections

Reports suggest that more than ten women die daily in India due to unsafe medical abortion. Therefore, it's essential to undergo a medical abortion under the guidance of an OB-GYN.

Q. How long does MTP take to complete?

A. MTP takes around 7-10 days to complete. However, in rare cases, it may be longer. In such a case, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Q. What is the recovery time of MTP?

A. Usually, it takes around 7-10 days to recover after medical termination of pregnancy. However, it may be longer if medical abortion becomes incomplete or if certain complications develop during the process.

Q. What should I avoid after undergoing medical abortion?

A. After undergoing a medical abortion, you should avoid the following things for at least the first week:-

• Junk foods
• Cold drinks
• Sugar-based drinks
• Sugar-based foods
• Potatoes
• Raw bananas
• Bottle guard
• Sexual activities
• Heavy exercise
• Lifting heavyweights

Apart from all this, you should strictly follow all the guidelines advised by your doctor as it helps you recover quickly and more comfortably.

Q. What are the possible complications of medical termination of pregnancy?

A. Medical termination of pregnancy may lead to a list of the following possible complications. These are:

• Infection
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Excessive bleeding
• Incomplete abortion
• Inflammatory disorder in the pelvic area
• The occurrence of a blood clot in the uterus
• Tearing of the cervix

Apart from all the above, in around 8-10 percent of cases of MTP, additional surgical procedures are needed to remove the remaining pregnancy tissue from the uterus altogether.

Q. Who should not undergo a medical abortion?

A. A woman with the following conditions is suggested not to undergo medical abortion:-

• If she has a bleeding disorder
• If she has ovarian mass or anemia
• If she has an ectopic pregnancy
• If she is using Intrauterine Device (IUD)
• If she has an uncontrolled seizure disorder
• If her pregnancy exceeds more than nine weeks
• If she has complications related to heart and blood vessels
• If she has an allergy to the medications used during the procedure

Apart from all the above, if a woman has certain health conditions that restrain her from undergoing the medical termination of pregnancy, she should choose surgical procedures for her abortion after consulting with an OB-GYN.

Q. When should I visit my doctor after undergoing MTP?

A. Usually, a follow-up visit with your doctor is essential within 15 days of medical abortion. Your doctor performs a pelvic ultrasound to confirm whether the abortion is complete or incomplete during this visit.

Apart from this, you should visit a doctor immediately after medical abortion if you experience the following:-

• Fainting attacks
• Severe pain in the abdomen
• Minimal or no bleeding after taking Misoprostol
• No period six weeks after the MTP process
• Excessive bleeding (soaking two thick pads in an hour or two consecutive hours)

Usually, the medical termination of pregnancy is a safe and successful procedure. However, in some cases, there may be some side effects. Therefore, you should visit the doctor immediately to avoid further complications in such a case.

Q. Is medical abortion a safe procedure?

A. Yes, medical abortion is a safe procedure, but you should undergo this procedure under the supervision of an experienced and skilled OB-GYN. Research suggests that there may be complications in around 8-10 percent of MTP cases.