If you have had unprotected sex (e.g., no contraception was used) or inadequately protected sex (e.g., the condom broke or you forgot more than one tablet of your usual contraceptive), you can use the emergency contraceptive pill, also known as the morning-after pill, up to 5 days later.
If you have a positive pregnancy test result, you may be experiencing many emotions, and this is normal.
You may feel astonishment, happiness, anxiety, anger, sadness, guilt, irritability, loneliness, etc.
Whatever emotions are felt, they are all valid and normal. Everyone reacts differently and experiences the news of a pregnancy in their own way.
continue your pregnancy with the aim of keeping your unborn child;
continue your pregnancy with a view to adoption; or
terminate your pregnancy.
The Centres de santé des femmes du Québec offer tools (in French) in the form of exercises and a guide that can help you.
Expressing your thoughts
Where am I now?
Things to think about when making a decision
Expressing your thoughts
Where am I now?
Things to think about when making a decision
Legacy of your decision
Legacy of your decision
Who to involve in your decision?
The fear of regret
Who to involve in your decision?
The fear of regret
Medical termination of pregnancy (abortion pill); and
Surgical termination of pregnancy (in-clinic).
Both are free upon presentation of your Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card, if you are foreign student, if you have private insurance or if you are registered in a refugee support program.
If you don’t have coverage through any of these types of insurance, you can cover the costs yourself. They can range from $200 to $1300, depending on the stage of pregnancy. You can also contact the following organisations to discuss the possibility of financial assistance:
Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances | 514 866-3721
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights | 1 888 642-2725
When is it done? It can be performed after 6 to 7 weeks of pregnancy and later.
Where? In the region, surgical abortions are performed at the Gaspé Hospital up to 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy. At the Islands Hospital (Cap-aux-Meules), surgical abortions are performed up to 16 weeks. Later than 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy in the case of Gaspé, and 16 weeks in the case of the Islands, you will be referred to a hospital elsewhere in Quebec.
What should I expect? The procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes. No cuts are necessary. You may experience mild to moderate pain, which may resemble menstrual pain, depending on the person. However, you can receive intravenous pain-relieving medication.
What happens next? At the termination appointment, you will be asked to discuss the type of follow-up you would like to have. You can ask to see the doctor again in the following weeks, receive a phone call from him or her, or have no follow-up at all. It is up to you.
Did you know?
Immediately after a surgical abortion, the doctor can install a copper IUD free of charge as a means of contraception, if you so wish.
Efficiency rate of over 95%.
It should be performed early in pregnancy (up to 9 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period). It allows you to avoid surgical interruption of the pregnancy.
The abortion is induced by taking two drugs: mifepristone, which stops the pregnancy, and misoprostol, which expels the contents of the uterus.
A complete abortion can take a few days. You can therefore choose when to take the medication according to your schedule. Normally, expulsion of the uterine contents occurs between 30 minutes and 48 hours after you have taken misoprostol.
The pain consists of moderate to severe cramps during expulsion. A painkiller may be prescribed by the doctor beforehand to help manage the pain.
Bleeding is heavier than during menstruation and lasts on average 10-16 days.
This method allows you to have a support person with you during the process, if you wish.
This method may require more than two consultations.
Medical interruption is free with the RAMQ card.
Efficiency rate of over 99%.
It can be performed up to 12 weeks and 6 days of the pregnancy at the Gaspé Hospital and up to 16 weeks at the Islands Hospital on the Magdalen Islands.
The procedure involves dilation, aspiration and curettage.
The procedure is quick, lasting about 10 to 15 minutes.
Pain is managed by intravenous medication. The dose can be adjusted as needed during the procedure.
There is little bleeding.
The person accompanying you cannot be present during the procedure, but can wait in the waiting room. Someone must take you home after the interruption.
This method usually requires one or two consultations.
Surgical termination is free with the RAMQ card.
Source: Brochure from the Montreal Women’s Health Center
If you travel more than 200 km from your place of residence to have a pregnancy terminated, you can receive a set amount to pay for part of the travel costs. If you need someone to accompany you, a health professional (doctor, social worker or nurse) can indicate this on the claim form so that you can receive financial compensation.
If you are considering the possibility of continuing your pregnancy and giving the child up for adoption, you can consult one of the SOS Grossesse sites for more information.
In the Gaspésie region:
A resource at Femmes en mouvement, the women’s centre in Bonaventure, has been trained by Les Passeuses to offer a pregnancy termination counselling service.
La Maison de la famille Parenfant de Gaspé, a perinatality centre, can refer you to someone trained in pregnancy termination counselling who can accompany you. You can contact them at 418-368-6028, ext. 1.
On the Magdalen Islands:
CALACS de l’espoir des Îles offers a pregnancy termination counselling service to people who use this agency.
You can contact this organisation at 418-986-6111 or at info@calacsdesiles.com.
You can also look elsewhere in Québec for other organisations trained by Les Passeuses to accompany you during your pregnancy termination.
