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Virginia Abortion Laws & My Pregnancy

Unexpected pregnancies are overwhelming, and any choice you make about how to proceed with your pregnancy will be life-changing. If you are considering abortion, you may be wondering what the recent ruling from the Supreme Court means for you. Here at Metro Women’s Care, nothing has changed – we’re still giving women in Annandale, Alexandria, Springfield, Arlington, and the greater DC metro area a compassionate, empowering space to think about their options and make a confident decision about their future.

Abortion is still legal in Virginia. While Metro Women’s Care does not perform or refer abortions, our team is here to give you all the information you need to make the best possible decision. In general, there are two kinds of abortions, medical and surgical.

Most often referred to as the abortion pill, medical abortion involves two different medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone is taken first and is usually administered in a healthcare setting, such as a doctor’s office. Misoprostol is taken a few hours later. In most cases, medical abortions are not recommended after 10 weeks. Having an ultrasound prior to taking the abortion pill is very important to make sure you are not farther along in pregnancy and thus at risk of medical complications from the abortion pill. The abortion pill (a medication abortion) usually costs between $300 and $550.

Surgical abortion is typically an outpatient medical procedure. Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, it may be a suction dilation and curettage (D&C) or dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedure. They usually cost between $600 and $1500 early in pregnancy.

Metro Women’s Care offers pre-abortion counseling sessions that help you to understand what is involved in both the abortion pill and surgical abortions. We provide a safe and supportive environment to think about how each of your options – abortion, adoption, and parenthood – may impact you. We also offer free ultrasound consultations and lab-quality pregnancy tests that will help you to determine how far along you are, as well as whether or not your pregnancy is viable.

Keep in mind that if you are miscarrying, you don’t need an abortion – you need urgent medical attention. Sometimes, your uterus is not able to complete the miscarriage on its own, and the tissue that is left behind can make you very sick. You may also experience something called an ectopic pregnancy, which happens when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus. Both of these conditions can be life-threatening. If you experience severe pain and bleeding at any point during your pregnancy, go straight to the emergency room.

It can feel lonely to be unexpectedly pregnant, but at Metro, you are never alone. We’re proud to provide women in Northern Virginia with support, resources, and care at every stage of pregnancy. All of our services are 100% confidential and available at no cost to you. Give us a call today to learn more.