A guide for accessing abortion care

Abortions are a core health service funded by the province, which means health authorities like Interior Health must ensure that patients who make this choice have access, according to the Interior Health Authority (IHA).

In B.C., this means someone can access an abortion through abortion clinics and some general practitioners, nurse practitioners, gynaecologists and hospitals. But as a result of ongoing stigma and a rising number of non-medical crisis pregnancy centres, it can be difficult to know where to go for help.

What is abortion care?

An abortion refers to a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy.

There are two types of abortion: medical abortion, which is completed with a combination of medications (mifepristone and misoprostol), and a surgical (or in-clinic) abortion where a health care provider removes pregnancy tissues, called aspiration, according to Interior Health.

During a medical abortion, mifepristone is taken first, with a prescription from a health care provider, to stop the pregnancy from developing. Between 24 and 48 hours of taking the mifepristone, you take four tablets of misoprostol, which expels the pregnancy tissue from your body. It’s common for bleeding to occur between two and six weeks after a medical abortion. Since 2018, these medications have been available with a prescription at no cost through B.C.’s PharmaCare plan.

During a surgical abortion, the individual’s cervix is dilated and a healthcare provider removes the pregnancy tissue from the uterus with suction and miscellaneous medical instruments. There is no cutting or stitching required during a surgical abortion.

A surgical or in-clinic abortion can be performed at a hospital or a clinic within a few minutes. Typically, individuals are awake for a surgical abortion but have conscious sedation to assist with the physiological discomfort of the procedure, and it’s common for individuals not to remember much of their procedure.

Most abortion service providers require a counselling appointment for the individual requesting the abortion to ensure the individual is independently certain of their decision and informed of the risks. In Kamloops, abortion-related counselling with a trained psychologist is harder to access according to multiple sources who spoke with The Wren, but people in need of mental health support can call 310-MHSU (6478) to see what support is available locally.

Where can I access abortion care?

You can reach out to your primary care provider or find more information about where to access services in your area. If you do not have a primary health provider, you can contact these services and clinics to help guide you through the available options:

Options for Sexual Health: The Sex Sense line can be reached at 1-800-SEX-SENSE (1-800-739-7367) throughout B.C. or 604-731-7803. This service offers general sexual and reproductive health information, as well as referrals to resources throughout B.C.

Kamloops STEPS Women’s and Sexual Health Clinic: Call 778-362-1582. Medical abortion, a form of abortion care involving a combination of medications (mifepristone and misoprostol), is available here. 

TRU Medical Clinic: The university clinic services registered students who require medical support during their studies, providing a full range of medical services and sexual health resources.

Fireweed Project: A research project based out of the University of Victoria which aims to learn from Indigenous women, Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ community members who have accessed or tried to access an abortion, as well as service providers, with the aim of providing more culturally safe services in Canada. They provide a list of resources related to abortion access and supports.

Aboriginal Patient Navigators at Royal Inland Hospital: This referral-only service allows Indigenous individuals and their families to access health care in a culturally safe manner with a liaison who can help navigate hospital processes.

Pregnancy Options Line: 1-888-875-3163 throughout B.C. or 604-875-3163 from the Lower Mainland. This service provides information, resources and referrals for all abortion services, including counselling, available to B.C. residents.

The National Abortion Hotline: 1-800-772-9100. The National Abortion Hotline is the largest national, toll-free, multi-lingual hotline for abortion information and financial assistance in the U.S. and Canada. Through funds like the Dr. Morgentaler Patient Assistance Fund, they can provide case management services and limited financial assistance to help with the cost of care and travel-related expenses.

The Action Canada Access Line: 1-888-642-2725 during the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., text 613-800-6757 or email at access@actioncanadashr.org. Staff are available for questions about sexual health, pregnancy options, abortion care and safer sex and can make referrals to sexual health providers.