Need an abortion clinic?
With our service you can manage your abortion at home using pills if your pregnancy is 10 weeks or less. If your pregnancy is more than 10 weeks, you can visit a clinic.
Where can you find a clinic?
You can visit the datafree WhereToCare map to find public and private clinics that offer abortion services. Please turn on your mobile data service and allow location permission when asked – the map will show clinics near you.
You can visit any government clinic. If the clinic does not offer abortion services they should refer you to a healthcare facility that can help with abortion. Government clinics are free of charge. To visit larger government hospitals, you will need a referral letter from a clinic.
Alternatively you can visit a private abortion clinic, like BMM Reproductive Health (Johannesburg), Choices Abortion Clinic (Cape Town), Marie Stopes (various locations) or a gynaecologist. .
Please go to the clinic as soon as possible as it can take some time to get an appointment.
The Siza Map was updated less recently but may also be of use.
What to consider when looking for a clinic?
Cost
Government clinics offer abortion services free of charge.
Private clinics charge a fee. This will usually be more than R1500 and will increase for pregnancies that are further along.
Pregnancy Length: 1st or 2nd Trimester
Some clinics only offer abortion for pregnancies less than 10 weeks while others will provide services for pregnancies further along. If you know you are more than 10 weeks, make sure you find a clinic that offers services for you. It can be difficult to find abortion services when you are in your 2nd trimester pregnancies as there are fewer clinics that offer this service.
After 13 weeks you may be required to give a reason for the abortion. Legally valid reasons are that you cannot afford a child, having a child will effect your mental or physical health, the pregnancy was the result of rape, or incest or the fetus is likely to die.
How do you know if a clinic is safe?
Some pregnant people may choose informal or ‘backstreet’ providers to access abortion services. These services may not be safe and treatments may not be effective. We advise that you try to find a doctor or nurse who is properly trained and registered.
To check if your provider is legitimate, you can ask for their registration number.
For doctors this is called a HPCSA number. You can check the validity of the number here.
To search, only enter the HPCSA number including the letters ‘MP’ (e.g MP0510343) – don’t enter any other details. If a doctor does not appear in this register they may not be safe.
For nurses, this is called a SANCA number and you can check the validity of the number here. If a nurse does not appear in this register they may not be safe.
Your provider may not be safe if they:
– give you any medicine other than Cytotec (misoprostol), Mediprist (mifepristone), Mifegyne (mifepristone) or painkillers
– do not check how far along your pregnancy is either by ultrasound or asking about your menstruation.
– use phrases like ‘pain free’ unfortunately medical abortion usually involves some pain
– use phrases like ‘womb cleaning’ or ‘same day’
– offer to meet you somewhere away from a clinic or pharmacy to give you medication
It may not always be possible to use a legal provider. If you want to check that the instructions provided are correct or that the medicines you bought are legit, send us an email with a photo of your medicines and we will try to help.