When you need to make an important and sensitive decision about your reproductive health, it is important to have a medical team you can trust on your side. Here at My Choice Medical Center, we aim to provide support and education to women as well as their families about their reproductive options whenever discussing health care needs or concerns. Depending on your situation, this may include assistance with family planning medications or the provision of abortion services.

Unplanned Pregnancies

If you find yourself faced with an unplanned pregnancy, you may feel a range of intense and often conflicting emotions about visiting an abortion clinic. While no one can make this difficult decision except you, it can be helpful to be armed with all the medical knowledge and information available as soon as possible. When you contact one of our compassionate health care professionals at My Choice Medical Center, you can be assured that you are going to have access to impartial counseling and healthcare services. Our goal is to arm you with information and allow you to make the best decision for yourself, whether this means carrying the fetus to term or termination.

We are also here to help in the tragic event that you develop complications in your otherwise planned or hoped-for pregnancy. Our counselors and healthcare staff know that making the decision to terminate for medical reasons is incredibly difficult and has ripple effects across your whole family unit. In situations like these, you can count on our team to provide you with the care you need, both medically and emotionally.

Abortion Services

The decision to undergo a pregnancy termination is incredibly personal and varies from woman to woman. There are numerous factors involved, and at My Choice Medical Center, we make sure our patients know that we are not here to judge the decisions they have made. Instead, we aim to give you accurate abortion information, letting you know what your options are depending on your situation.

Surgical abortion is one such option. This is a procedure typically conducted in the first or second trimester. At reputable clinics, like the ones run by My Choice, surgical abortion is a perfectly safe way to terminate a pregnancy. Manual vacuum aspiration, a procedure done under local anesthesia, is offered in the first trimester, as is aspiration. Aspiration, also known as dilation and curettage, can be done up to and including the 16thweek or pregnancy.

Medical abortion cannot be performed in the second trimester. In situations like these, dilation and curettage is often the best option. Dilation and evacuation, also available until the end of the 16thweek, is sometimes offered to a patient. Rarely, none of these options is appropriate. In those unique situations, induced abortion is used.

Using the Abortion Pill

An alternative to the surgical procedures discussed above is medical abortion, or the abortion pill. This is a safe, non-surgical way to terminate a pregnancy without resorting to invasive procedures. Women can access this method up until their 10thweek of pregnancy. One of the biggest benefits of this method is the fact that there are very few risks associated with it. Additionally, it boasts a 93 to 99 percent effectiveness rating.

In most cases, the process begins at the clinic, with the patient receiving a dose of a drug called Mifeprex. Approximately 12 to 24 hours later, depending on the situation and the patient’s circumstances, she then takes a dose of a second drug called Misoprostol. This second medication can be taken at home or at the clinic. Again, it depends on the situation.

These drugs work by softening the cervix and blocking progesterone. They are typically preferred to other techniques because there is practically no risk of post-abortion complications such as infection. Additionally, it reduces the invasiveness of the procedure, which is ideal for trauma victims. Aftercare with this type of technique is also much less invasive. Most women do not even need to have an internal exam conducted. Instead, an ultrasound may be conducted, and your blood may be drawn.

Family Planning Services

At My Choice Medical Center, we believe that all women deserve to be knowledgeable about all the family planning options available to them. This is the best way to feel empowered in your birth control decision. As a result, we offer a range of family planning services, including giving our patients access to a specialist, making sure that you receive the best care possible.

We encourage our patients to inquire about the wide range of birth control options we are proud to offer. These include:

  • The Pill
  • The Ortho-Evra Patch
  • The Depo-Provera Shot
  • The Nuvaring
  • IUDs, including Paragard and Minra

Women’s Health Services

Your health care includes more than just family planning and reproductive care services. Here at My Choice Medical Center, we are proud to offer numerous women’s health services. These include cancer screenings, access to PAP smears, and other detection tests. Additionally, we conduct all sexually transmitted disease testing, free pregnancy testing, and emergency contraceptives to those in need.

How My Choice Can Help

Our clinics have all been designed with your care and comfort in mind. Our staff members believe in empowering you through information, not judgement, and want to ensure that you have answers to all of your questions before making any decisions about your care.

The clinics themselves have been designed with your needs in mind. Rooms are decorated in clam and warm colors, setting you at ease and reducing anxiety. Each clinic is run to the highest industry standards and complies with all health care regulations. Additionally, our clinics have their own on-site private laboratories. This ensures that all results are kept confidential and processed much faster than at other centers.

If you have family planning questions or concerns, or are in need of help, contact your local My Choice Medical Center to learn more about your options or to book an appointment. We encourage you to bring a support person with you, or to come alone – as long as you feel comfortable. You can reach our caring staff today by calling 866-397-3070, stopping into see us at our Canoga Park location, or filling out our contact form.