Center for Pregnancy Options

The UCSF Center for Pregnancy Options provides abortion care and family planning services in a private, comfortable and sensitive environment. We care for women seeking elective abortion, treatment for miscarriage or fetal death, and pregnancy termination due to health problems of the fetus or mother.

We provide:

• First trimester uterine aspiration for elective abortion, miscarriage or termination due to fetal abnormalities
• First trimester medical abortion or medication management of miscarriage
• Second trimester surgical abortion for elective abortion, fetal death or fetal anomalies, and maternal health conditions

We are dedicated to protecting your privacy. Your personal, medical and billing information will not be shared with anyone – including your family and referring doctor – without your signed consent. All UCSF doctors, nurses, other staff, students, trainees and volunteers abide by strict federal and state privacy and security regulations.

Our center is an integrated service of the UCSF Center for Pregnancy Options, and our patients are not separately identified.

Our Services

Elective Abortion

Before making an appointment for an elective abortion, please confirm your pregnancy with an over-the-counter home pregnancy test, which you can buy at a pharmacy or supermarket. If you need help making decisions regarding your pregnancy, the following resources may be helpful.

• Pregnancy Options
• All-Options

Miscarriage Treatment

A miscarriage can be a very difficult and sad experience. We provide several treatment options and support services, depending on your circumstances:

• Treatment or close monitoring of an incomplete miscarriage
• Medical management or medication to help complete a miscarriage
• First trimester uterine aspiration

Abortion for Fetal Abnormalities or Maternal Health

Terminating a pregnancy due to fetal abnormalities or maternal health conditions can be an extremely difficult choice. We provide the following services in a supportive environment:

• First trimester uterine aspiration
• Second trimester surgical abortion

Experts at the UCSF Prenatal Diagnostic Center specialize in high-risk pregnancy and fetal abnormalities. For genetic counseling and testing, please contact the center.

Contraception

We can help you find the most appropriate contraceptive method, based on your health and family planning wishes. We provide:

• Condoms
• Diaphragms and cervical caps
• Emergency contraception
• Intrauterine contraception (also referred to as intrauterine devices or IUDs), including Paragard, which doesn’t use hormones, and Mirena, which releases the hormone progestin
• Natural family planning
• Prescriptions for oral contraceptives, including progestin-only and combined hormonal pills, birth control patches and the vaginal insert called NuvaRing
• Depo-Provera, a progestin injection usually given every 12 weeks
• Implanon, a progestin implant placed under the skin of the upper arm

Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception (EC) is safe and effective in preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex or when birth control fails. EC pills temporarily stop the release of an egg from the ovary and may prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Ideally, EC should be taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex, though it is still effective if taken within 72 hours. The sooner EC is taken, the more effective it is. EC is not effective if you're already pregnant.

EC is available without a prescription at pharmacies.