Medication Termination Information for Health Professionals

Medication terminations at Family Planning Tasmania

Early referral to an MToP provider is crucial as MToP must be given before 63 days’ gestation.

FPT provides Medication Termination of Pregnancy (MToP) in all our clinics. If a woman is not suitable for MToP at FPT we can provide a referral to another service provider.

If a patient is contemplating MToP please refer them to this section of our website where they will find important information about MToP.

GP help meeting demand

GPs can help us meet very high demand for MToP appointments by organising the following (with copies requested to be sent to FPT Clinic):

• FBC, Quantitative HCG and Blood Group
• STI screening for chlamydia and BV (this can be a first pass urine for chlamydia and a self-collected lower vaginal swab (SOLVS))
• Ultrasound dating scan – intrauterine pregnancies aren’t typically visible before six weeks gestation. Please advise patients to have the scan at, but not before, 6 weeks. A second scan is required if an intrauterine pregnancy is not seen.

If GPs organise these, patients requiring MToP may be able to have an initial phone call assessment by an FPT Doctor, reducing the total number of visits to the FPT clinic from three to two.

Some women have had upsetting experiences when attending for their dating scan ultrasound. FPT has talked to imaging providers and we recommend the following words are used when requesting a dating scan for women considering termination:

        Please perform:

• Pregnancy Ultrasound:  Please report sac size and estimated gestational age.
• Transvaginal Ultrasound: If gestational sac is not visible on ultrasound.
• Do not show or discuss the scan with the patient unless requested by the patient.

Medication Termination Process

Medication termination at FPT involves either two or three appointments and a number of phone calls. Please refer to our Medication Termination process page.

Medication Termination Fees 

Please refer to our Fees page. Costs vary depending on age and circumstance.

Medication Termination referrals

HealthPathways Tasmania provides comprehensive referral information for all Tasmanian MToP providers, including FPT. (Log in, then select Women’s Health>Gynaeocology.)

MToPs can be performed if a pregnancy is less than 63 days (9 weeks) gestation. Early referral to Family Planning Tasmania – either self-referral or GP referral – is strongly recommended to increase the chance of a women being able to access an MToP.

On receipt of a referral for MToP, we will contact the patient and organise an assessment appointment for them.

Patients can also self-refer by calling Family Planning Tasmania.

If patients are self-referring, please stress to them the importance of getting scans done and phoning to organise assessment early. Unfortunately, we see a number of women who present to their GP and then don’t get ultrasounds or ring for appointments until it is too late to be able to help them with an MToP.

If a woman is not suitable for MToP with us, we can provide referral to another service provider.

Demand for MToP has been so high that our clinics may be booked out for several weeks in advance. If a woman is going to be too late for an MToP and we have no appointments, we may on occasion suggest that the woman returns to her GP for referral to the low cost SToP provider in Hobart.

If a patient cannot access MToP at Family Planning Tasmania, Marie Stopes provides a tele-abortion service similar to the service previously provided by the Tabbott Foundation.

Contraception

At FPT we actively support women to access effective contraception following a ToP and can insert Implanon at the medication or follow up appointment, or can insert an IUD 3 weeks post MToP.

Information and support

Women attending FPT for MToP are given comprehensive written instructions regarding their medication, and Anti D is given if required. Patients are also given information on how to access a 24-hour telephone support service during the procedure.

Translated termination information

General information about termination and details about medication and surgical terminations are available in many community languages from the Better Health Channel.