Before the abortion procedure, she also needs to be prepared by fasting for 4 hours (no food or drink - even water) before seeing the doctor.
For early abortions less than 10 weeks, the procedure itself is painless as it is performed with the patient asleep. It is fast and takes less than 10 minutes. However, because the patient is put to sleep, she will need about an hour for the sedative drugs to wear off. The whole time taken at the clinic will be an average of about two hours.
After the procedure, the patient can go home as if nothing has happened. At most she will feel a little sleepy for a few hours with occasional very mild menstrual like cramps. The procedure is fast and strictly confidential and no one will find out unless you tell them. It will be best to take public transport home after the procedure to rest. Please do not drive. After a good night's sleep, the patient would have fully recovered.
As for bigger abortions, the recovery may take a few days longer but it is also quick and fast. In the first few days there may mild menstrual-like cramps as the womb shrinks. About 3 to 14 days after the procedure, there may be more bleeding and cramps, depending on each individual. Some heal a lot faster than others. This is natural as the womb is still under the influence of the pregnancy hormones for another one to two weeks, and it takes time to heal from the after effects of the pregnancy. A mild fever may sometimes occur during the first 12 hours after the procedure, but if it is any longer, you will need to contact Dr Jen. Pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, palpitations, giddiness and other common pregnancy feelings may take one to two weeks to slowly taper off after the abortion, and does not disappear instantly. Even the urinary pregnancy test may take about two weeks to entirely disappear.
Dr Jen is an experienced and trusted gynaecologist with more than 35 years of experience performing abortions. His techniques allow the abortion procedure to be done purely on an outpatient basis, without the need for hospitalization, even for pregnancies up to 24 weeks. Hospitals are big cold and public spaces with lots of people and staff around. A small private clinic is a much better place to preserve confidentiality. The certainly of his results also allows the patient the comfort of knowing exactly when the procedure will be over. This is especially relevant for larger abortions, when most doctors are not able to give a precise answer to their patients.
Dr Jen offers the latest facilities to ensure a safe operation with minimal complications. He has been practicing in this same clinic for almost 30 years and has long experience, with an emphasis on safety and an uncomplicated outcome. His operation theatre is equipped with live ultrasound coverage for procedures to be performed with accuracy and completeness, with greater safety and a better outcome. The clinic is also inspected every year by the MOH and given their approval for an abortion clinic.
Dr Jen completed his basic medical degree in Singapore in 1979 having won numerous book prizes. After completing his National Service with distinction in 1982, he completed his post-graduate training in both Singapore and in the United Kingdom in December 1984 and January 1985 respectively.
He worked as an Obstetric and Gynaecological consultant in the Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Toa Payoh Hospital and the University Unit of the National University of Singapore from 1985, and in recognition of his medical contributions, was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Singapore in November 1988, this being the official certification of a specialty status in Singapore.
Wishing to serve the people of Singapore directly, Dr Jen was one of the first O & G specialists not to open a clinic along Orchard Road, but instead opened clinics in the ‘heartlands’ from 1988 - first he opened one in Ang Mo Kio, then another in Tampines. His clinics have been very busy from the start and he has been in continuous private practice since 1988.
Having published many academic articles in his area of specialty, he was elevated to a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists in London in 1999, an official recognition that is only given to senior specialists who have actively practiced O & G for at least 15 years and is judged to have advanced the science and the art of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O & G) by a panel of his expert peers from London. After many years of research and experience, Dr Jen can now confidently assure the patient of a successful abortion within a fixed time schedule, without the need to assess or wait for her response to drugs.
There is often a mixture of feelings when you learn that you are pregnant. You feel confused, happy, bewildered, and if you are not ready to have a child, then the emotions that you will be feeling are sad, tormented, and even remorse. Learning that you are pregnant and not being ready to have a child will lead to you feeling shocked and in the end.
Women’s Clinic of Singapore is committed to providing you, as an abortion patient, with acceptance, respect for your ethical process, and emotional support during your abortion experience.
At the time of your abortion appointment, you will meet individually with our trained staff. The counselling services we provide are confidential, non-judgmental, respectful and empowering. Each woman is free to discuss as much or as little of her experience with unintended pregnancy as she chooses.
Our staff will provide detailed information about the abortion procedure, possible complications, and aftercare. The counselling session is also an opportunity to ask questions, to talk about how this experience has been for you, and any emotional, religious, or relationship issues you may wish to discuss.
Your consultation with Dr Jen is private time set aside for you to discuss all of your concerns and questions, directly, about any treatment you may be considering. No surgery should be taken lightly. To ensure you are comfortable and safe before, during, and after surgical treatment, Dr Jen requires one-to-one consultations with each patient so that both of you are confident in your decisions, and that he can confirm the treatment and care that is most appropriate for you. Your consultation is designed to fully inform you of the procedure that you are considering, and to discuss any other available options or considerations that may apply for your best outcomes.
As an expert medical specialist, Dr Jen will not recommend, or undertake, any surgery if he is not completely confident. He offer the latest facilities to ensure a safe operation with minimal complications. The clinic is fully licensed institution approved to carry out abortion up to 6 months or 24 weeks of pregnancy and is inspected every year by the Ministry of Health and given their approval for an abortion clinic.
The clinic is fully equipped with the latest instruments to ensure patient safety and good clinical outcomes.
Pulsimeter monitoring ensures that you are safety asleep without complications. Live ultrasound monitoring is rarely used elsewhere, but Dr Jen has incorporated this for his procedures to ensure that the womb is completely cleaned and that there isn’t any complications like perforations to the womb during the procedure.
Disposal instruments ensure sterility and hygiene. The clinic uses the latest generation of cannula (a slim straw like instrument) which is inserted into the womb to suck out the contents. Firstly, this is a single use instrument. It is fully sterilized and vacuum packed from the factory, then thrown away after use - so that there is no chance of infection from the instrument.
Secondly, the cannula is very soft and flexible - only to be used by the most expert hands- so that it will not traumatize the womb. Thirdly, Dr Jen only uses a pure suction technique, without using metallic scrapers and forceps which can harm and damage the womb. All this means a very gentle technique which will not harm the womb.
Before an abortion is attempted, the most important detail is to know the position and the size of the pregnancy.
The problem with dating the pregnancy is that many patients do not know how to date their pregnancies or date them based on the wrong dates. Many mothers date their pregnancies from when they think they conceived but doctors do not use that method, instead they use the dating from the first day of the last menses, meaning that the mother is not even pregnant yet.
When the procedure can be done depends on whether you need to be fully counselled. This will be explained to you during the consultation. If you have already been counselled and can prove it then there is no need to repeat it.
If your pregnancy is confirmed to be really 15 to 24 weeks, then the procedure is more complicated than a simple abortion, or even an early second trimester abortion, and it requires more than one visit to the doctor. My procedure however does not require you to be hospitalized. Almost all doctors would require you to stay in hospital for an abortion larger than 14 week's size.
This is usually fast and pain free. It is performed under sedation so that you do not feel anything during the procedure. You will also not remember much of what happened either.
It is usually very quick and simple for abortions up to 10 weeks. A stay of 1 to 2 hours in the clinic is adequate.
After 10 weeks, some preparation is needed, but as it is done as an outpatient, the patient can go home and wait for the medicine to take effect in the comfort of her home. Even for a 5 month abortion, she will only need to spend about 4 to 5 hours in the clinic.
My procedures are safe and speedy, and for abortions up to 10 weeks, you only need about one hour in my clinic after the first consultation for the abortion to be completed. Between 10 to 15 weeks, you only need one short extra visit to insert medication to soften the doorway to your womb. From 15 to 24 weeks, the baby would need to be delivered intact, and most would only need about 3 to 6 hours in my clinic for this to be completed successfully.
Fewer complications arise if the pregnancy is terminated early. There is no such thing as an operation or procedure that is completely risk-free. Termination of pregnancy is a safe procedure but complications are possible.
The most common complications are described below:
This is possible but rare, and is usually caused when the woman is already harbouring a Chlamydia infection prior to the abortion procedure. Inflammation of the Fallopian tubes and ovaries caused by the Chlamydia organism is the most common cause of infertility following an abortion. Examination for Chlamydia is now routine in most hospitals and clinics and, if necessary, the patient will be treated before the abortion is carried out. The alternative is to take antibiotics during and after the procedure. The most common cause of infection is due to sexual intercourse before full healing of the womb after abortion, especially when there is still bleeding. It is therefore important to refrain from sex for up to 3 weeks after abortion.
The clinic’s charges for consultation and ultrasound are $150.00 plus $100.00, totalling $250.00. However, if the consultation is longer than 15 minutes, the consultation fee will increase accordingly (from $150.00 and upwards). Prices for abortion start from $1.300.00, but increase with the increase in the size of the pregnancy. There is also an anaesthetic fee from about $200.00. However, this is only for an early abortion from 4 weeks.
If you decide to carry on with the pregnancy, any deposit made can be used for the next consultation which you will need for any continuing pregnancy.
The final amount which you need to pay will be informed to you and it depends on the size of the pregnancy. It is inclusive of the operation procedure, ward charges, anaesthesia and standard pain-killers. Dr Jen normally also performs a Pap smear which is charged separately. If any injectable pain killer is needed, or if antibiotics are required after the operation due to pre-existing vaginal infection - then these are NOT included, and will be charged separately.
No parental consent is needed, even if you are less than 16 years of age (but above 14 year's of age). However, you need to be above 16 years of age before an abortion can be performed with just your consent alone. There is no need to involve any other relatives.
If you have not reached your 16th birthday, you need to be interviewed by the Health Promotion Board Counseling Centre (HPC CC). They will keep it confidential and your parents will not be informed, unless they suspect foul play - like for example if your boyfriend is an adult taking sexual advantage of you, or you have been raped.
So between the age of 14 to 16 years, you only need the special counseling at the Institute of Health (I.O.H.). After this counseling, you will be given a special permit to have the procedure performed and there is no need to involve your parents or relatives.
If you are less than 14 years of age, its a different story. Unless you are married to your lover, it is an offence (often known as statutory rape) for any male to have sexual intercourse with a woman under 14 year's of age. So if you are below 14 years (and 13 years if married) there will be no medical confidentiality to protect you from being reported to the police and to your parents.
In conclusion: The abortion procedure is entirely confidential and it can be conducted in my clinic in total privacy without her parent's knowledge. Even if they call, I am not allowed to tell them without the patient's approval, as long as she is above 16 years of age.
The procedure will not require your parents' consent if you are above 14 years. If she is less than 16 years of age however, she needs to go for a special counseling.
We cannot perform abortions for foreigners who come into Singapore on a two week Social or Tourist Pass (except for emergency conditions listed below). We can only perform abortions for those who have stayed in Singapore more than 4 months and we therefore need to see one of these documents:
For foreigners who come into Singapore on a two week Social/Tourist Pass who happen to suffer from a spontaneous miscarriage, an abortion can be performed as an emergency procedure since she has suffered from a complication which cannot await her return to her country. Abortion is also allowed if the pregnancy is found to be non-viable.
We do not perform abortions on the same day unless you are already in the process of suffering a miscarriage. This is the law in Singapore.
The reason we are not allowed to abort on the first visit is due to regulations laid done by the Ministry of Health, which wants you to think about the abortion for 2 days after the first consultation. You will be given a tape to watch which highlights the side effects of the procedure, how the abortion is done and some contraceptive advice. You will need to think about whether to carry on with the abortion over 2 days.
No you do not need to be hospitalized.
Yes Medisave can be used for this procedure. The maximum which can be deducted is between $900.00 to $1,050.00.
However, in order for Medisave to be deducted, you need to show:
We value your time so we request that you make an appointment with our staff so that you can be seen on time and a time slot is allocated for Dr Jen to meet you. Please call or email us for an appointment.
Blk 721 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8
#01-2813 Singapore 560721
(Next to "Eye Clinic" & "Family Medicare Clinic")
Tel: +65 6459 2833
Fax: +65 6455 0880
Mon - Sat (Morning): 10:00am - 1:00pm
Mon & Fri (Afternoon): 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Tue (Night): 7:00pm - 9:00pm (Closed on other nights)
My clinic is closed on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons.
Located in the heartlands to serve the people, the clinic is conveniently next to the Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Just a few minutes’ walk from the MRT station, it is next to Jubilee Cinema, at Block 721, just opposite the MRT track heading north along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. Formerly known as The Abortion Centre in Singapore @ The Women's Clinic of Singapore, it is now simply called The Women's Clinic of Singapore.
If you require further directions to our office, please call us at +65 6459 2833.
