Questions and answers — all in one place

Yes. The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe where ending a pregnancy is legal up to 22 weeks — with no reason and no referral required. The procedure fully complies with Dutch law and is available to people from other countries too.

Yes. A procedure carried out in a country where it is permitted complies with that country's law. Polish legislation, for example, imposes no criminal liability on a woman for ending her own pregnancy. Details: legal questions.

Yes. Dutch clinics are subject to strict oversight by the Ministry of Health and the IGJ inspectorate. Procedures are carried out by specialist doctors with many years of experience.

The cost depends on how far along the pregnancy is and on the method. For people with Dutch insurance the procedure is free. Always included: the ultrasound, anaesthesia and follow-up check — transport from Poland and a Polish-speaking interpreter are available as options. Call us for details.

No. Medical records in the Netherlands are protected by medical confidentiality and the GDPR. The clinic passes no information to authorities abroad.

The visit usually takes 3 to 5 hours. Most patients travel home the same day.

Appointments are available quickly — usually within 3–5 days of getting in touch.

A valid ID card or passport is enough. For a procedure after 12 weeks you also need a recent ultrasound (no older than 7 days) showing BPD and FL. Full list: before the procedure.

No. You book directly — by phone or through the contact form.

No. On 1 January 2023 the Netherlands abolished the mandatory five-day reflection period — you can book the procedure straight away, with no statutory delay.

Our clinic specialises in surgical procedures — vacuum aspiration and D&E — because they offer certainty (99.9% effective), take place under full medical care and are done in a single day. Medical abortion is sometimes used in early pregnancy, but it is less effective, the process takes days and involves heavy bleeding without a doctor present. If you are weighing up both options, call us — we'll explain the differences without judgement.

After 12 weeks, a medical abortion at home is dangerous — the risk of an incomplete miscarriage, haemorrhage and complications requiring urgent care all rise. That is why in the second trimester the only safe route is an instrumental D&E procedure carried out at the clinic, under anaesthesia and with full medical supervision.

The procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthetic — you sleep and feel nothing. After you wake, you may have cramps like a heavier period.

A properly performed procedure does not affect your ability to conceive in future — ovulation can return within two weeks. The risk of complications that affect fertility (such as uterine adhesions) is negligible — a handful of cases in several thousand procedures — and we minimise it through careful preparation and a preventive antibiotic afterwards.

Mild cramping in the lower abdomen and period-like bleeding, lasting up to a couple of weeks. Full guide: after the procedure.

Waiting 7–14 days is advised, to lower the risk of infection and give your body time to recover.

Hormonal contraception can usually be started immediately after the procedure. The doctor will go through the details with you during your visit.

No. In the Netherlands the abortion pill can only be given at a clinic or hospital under a doctor's supervision — you cannot buy it at a pharmacy or order it online. Be wary of sites selling so-called "abortion pills" by post — those are scams. Our clinic carries out surgical procedures only (vacuum aspiration and D&E), under full medical care.

In most cases yes, usually without a break. The medicines used during the procedure are generally not harmful to a breastfed baby — tell the doctor at your initial consultation so they can choose suitable medication and, if needed, advise how long to pause feeding.

Before then the pregnancy is often not yet visible on an ultrasound, so the doctor cannot confirm with certainty that it is inside the uterus rather than, for instance, outside it. A procedure done too early is also less reliable: it is harder to tell afterwards whether all the pregnancy tissue has been removed. In practice this means the scan is usually done about 12 days after a missed period.

Most regular medication can be taken as normal, with water. If you take anticoagulants (blood thinners) or diabetes medicine, let the clinic know in advance so the doctor can factor it into the plan for your procedure.

The risk is small and rises slightly the further along the pregnancy is. With vacuum aspiration (up to 13 weeks): heavy bleeding <1%, retained tissue <1%, injury to the uterus <0.1%, infection 0.5–1%. With a D&E (13–22 weeks): heavy bleeding 1–3%, retained tissue 1–3%, infection 1–2%, injury to the uterus 0.1–0.4% (usually with no lasting effects). All of these complications can be recognised and treated — which is why the procedure always takes place under full medical supervision.

Yes — with vacuum aspiration up to 13 weeks, an IUD can be fitted right after the procedure, during the same visit. You will feel nothing if the procedure was done under sedation. Mention it when you book.

Yes — they can wait in the waiting room, be there for you afterwards and take you home from the clinic.

Yes. Just remember that you must not drive for 24 hours after sedation — come with someone who can drive, or use our transport.

Anyone under 16 comes with a parent or legal guardian. People aged 16 to 18 can come on their own — parental consent is not required.

No — children cannot be brought into the clinic. Please arrange childcare in advance for the duration of your visit.

Anti-abortion protesters are sometimes present near the clinic. It is best not to engage with them or respond to their questions and comments. If anyone approaches you, tell the clinic staff as soon as you come in.

Yes. On discharge you receive a sealed envelope containing a discharge letter confirming the procedure — with the date, the method used and the clinic's details. It can be issued in English or Dutch. Nothing is posted anywhere: you collect the envelope in person, and the clinic gives out no information about patients over the phone.

Yes. If you lose the discharge letter or need a copy in future, contact us — we can reissue your records once we have verified your identity.

Yes, if you ask the doctor before the scan — you can be given a printout of the ultrasound image on discharge.