How to get an abortion in Washington, DC

In the US, the average cost of a first-trimester abortion (up to 12 weeks from the first day of your last period) averages around $600. The cost of an abortion goes up the longer you're pregnant.

When calling a clinic, you can ask what the price of an abortion will be based on when your last period was. If you need help paying for an abortion, let the clinic know. After you make an appointment, they may be able to offer financial help or connect you with a local abortion fund.

Public funds are available for abortion in cases of danger to the pregnant person's life, rape, or incest.

An in-clinic abortion takes place in a clinic or hospital. They’re medically very safe and 99% effective. There’s a variety of names used for in-clinic abortions, as well as different types. Some names you might come across are surgical abortion, procedural abortion, dilation and evacuation (D&E), dilation and curettage (D&C), or vacuum aspiration. It can be a bit overwhelming keeping track of all of these! What’s important is they’re all very safe and effective.

With a first trimester in-clinic abortion (up to 12 weeks), your doctor will numb and dilate your cervix in order to insert a narrow flexible tube into your uterus. The tube will then remove the pregnancy tissue with suction. The suction portion takes about a minute and the entire procedure takes around 10 to 20 minutes.

If you need an abortion later in pregnancy (over 13 weeks), you’ll likely have what’s called a dilation and evacuation (D&E). It may take place over two consecutive days and require multiple visits to a provider. This procedure also involves suction to empty your uterus.

One thing to keep in mind is that in-clinic abortions later in pregnancy cost more with fewer providers to choose from. That’s why it’s helpful to contact a verified clinic as soon as you’re able to.

Some clinics offer pain and sedation medications to help you feel more comfortable before, during, and/or after the procedure. Be sure to ask the clinic before you arrive about your options.

To compare the differences between in-clinic abortions, abortions with pills via a clinic, and ordering pills online, check out our Types of Abortion Guide.

If you can't afford an abortion, or the costs associated with travel, there are organizations ready to help..

Medication abortion is a way to terminate a pregnancy by using medications. It’s often called the ‘abortion pill' though it's technically two drugs: Mifepristone and Misoprostol.

Abortion pills are accessible both in an in-clinic setting and online. In the United States, medical professionals most often prescribe them to people less than 12 weeks pregnant, though abortion pills are safe and effective throughout pregnancy. At the clinic, you will swallow a tablet of Mifepristone. This pill is designed to stop the growth of the pregnancy and prepare your body to pass pregnancy tissue. Your provider will send you home with tablets of Misoprostol and instructions for the next step.

At home, you should expect to have cramping and bleeding. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever and chills. For most people, the abortion will be complete within 24 hours. Most clinics will schedule a followup appointment to confirm the pregnancy has been terminated.

Because you're in DC, you can skip the clinic and order pills online via Abortion on Demand or carafem - both members of the Abortion Care Network.

For more information on the abortion pill and ordering online, check out Plan C's website. For one person's account with ordering online, check out this Reddit post.

If you have additional questions about medication abortion or need assistance while having one, there is a hotline run by medical professionals. Contact them at 1-833-246-2632. They're available via call or text for 18 hours a day.

If you'd like peer support and info throughout the process of planning or having an abortion with pills at home, call or text Reprocare - open 7 days a week at 833-226-7821

Abortion in the District of Columbia is legal at all stages of pregnancy.

DC does not have any mandatory counseling, ultrasounds, or waiting periods before accessing abortion, and minors do not require parental consent or judicial bypass to access care.

Take care to avoid crisis pregnancy centers or fake clinics. In many states, there are more of these than actual abortion providers, and they will come up when you search Google or the phone book. All providers on ineedana.com have been verified as real providers.

We work diligently to keep this site as updated as possible. If you find something that is out of date on this site, please fill out this form.

We’ve tried to provide answers and clear information on what to expect in seeking abortion access on this site because, we get it, we know sometimes it can be hard to know what exactly to ask. However, speaking to a knowledgeable counselor can actually feel great.

These are two great options if you want to talk to someone:

On the Phone: ALL-OPTIONS talkline is a great resource to speak to someone about… all of your options. You can talk to them if you’re trying to decide what to do about a pregnancy, or if you’re feeling complicated emotions about a decision you’ve already made. They’re happy to talk about anything related to pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and parenting related. Their hotline is toll free and available Mon-Fri 10-1am, Sat-Sun 10-6pm EST

CALL 1-888-493-0092

On the internet: If you're still not ready to pick up the phone and struggling to make a decision, there's an incredible community on reddit at /r/abortion/, ready to help. You can sign up and create a "throwaway" account to message the group.

If you'd still like to do some personal research before talking to anyone, check out this Pregnancy Options Workbook from Cedar River Clinics.

Have a suggestion for another question we should include on the site? Let us know!