How much does abortion cost at 7 weeks

How much does an abortion cost?

The cost of an abortion in Victoria can vary depending on a number of factors.

These include:

• The type of abortion (medication or surgical) 
• If you have a Medicare card 
• If you have a Health Care Card 
• If you have private health insurance 
• how many weeks pregnant you are (costs can increase after 12 weeks)   
• whether the abortion is being provided by a private or public service

Most abortions in Victoria are performed by private providers (such as GPs, private clinics and specialists) which means you will need to pay for the abortion. Most people will also need to pay for blood tests and ultrasound scans. As each private provider has their own schedule of fees and charges, you will need to speak to them directly about their costs. 

Generally, if you have Medicare and go to a private clinic: 

• Surgical abortion fees can start from $400-$700 
• Medication abortion fees can range between $100-$600 

Some public hospitals, community health services and GP clinics will have lower fees, or bulk bill fully.  

If you have Medicare you may be able to have an abortion in a public hospital, where there are no fees. It’s important to know, however, that not every Victorian public hospital provides abortion. Some hospitals may only accept patients under specific circumstances. 

We can help you find an abortion service.

Call us on 1800 696 784 (weekdays 9am – 5pm), or search online.

Abortions in Queensland are provided by some public hospitals, private day surgeries and GPs. The cost of an abortion will depend on: 

•  whether you access a public or private services  
• Whether you want  a medication abortion or a surgical procedure 
• Where you live; and   
• The gestation of the pregnancy.  

Please consult our public pathway information to see which pathway works best for you.

Following are some steps that may help you get an estimate of how much your abortion may cost

Step 1: Confirming your pregnancy

The first step is to have your pregnancy confirmed by a doctor/General Practitioner (GP) This will determine the gestation (how many weeks); and will rule out any complications that may affect your choice of abortion procedure. Costs will include- 

• GP visit  
• Blood test (usually free/bulk-billed with medicare card)  
• Dating ultrasound scan  

You may be able to access bulk-billed services, or you may need to pay a Medicare gap fee. If you need to find a supportive GP, have a look at our map here.

Step 2: Choosing an abortion procedure

Abortion procedures are either medication-based or surgical. If you are unsure about which option to choose, give us a call at 1800 177 725 or speak with your trusted medical provider.  

A medication abortion can take place up to 9 weeks gestation. . In Australia the medication is called MS2Step. It requires a prescription by an accredited GP provider. Not all GPs are able to prescribe this medication.  

Approximate costs of the medication are as follows- 

• Healthcare/concession card holders: 6.6AUD 
• Medicare Card Holder: 41.6AUD 
• Non-Medicare cost: 330-350AUD 

The cost of the medication will vary, depending on the pharmacy; and may inevitably continue to rise. 

Surgical abortions are offered from 6 weeks gestation to 16 weeks in some public hospitals in Queensland; and up until about 22 weeks of gestation at a private clinic. They are a safe and simple day procedure, and the procedure duration increases to 2 days once a gestation crosses 16 weeks. Please note that abortion care is still available in public hospitals that offer it beyond 16 weeks- however, this procedure is slightly different than a surgical abortion.  

Please note that the time it takes for the surgical procedure increases after 12 weeks of gestation, when appointment times can also become more limited.  

 Private clinic costs start at around 500AUD and can go up to 8500AUD based on your gestation at the time of appointment and your Medicare status. If you are eligible, you can get surgical abortion care in some public hospitals free of charge

Step 3: Deciding to get care in a public hospital or private clinic

Public Hospital

Public hospital abortions are usually bulk billed. Public hospitals require a GP referral that includes the blood test results confirming the pregnancy and the ultrasound scan dating the pregnancy.  Appointments are generally provided within a week of the hospital receiving the referral – however, in some cases it could be up to 4 weeks.  

Some public hospitals and health services have partnerships with private clinics. The public health service pays for the cost of the care at the private clinic.  Click here to know more (link to be updated soon) 

NB: Children by Choice offers some limited financial contribution to the cost of the care for pregnant people who do not have access to public abortion care or do not have a Medicare card. Please reach out to us here to see if you may be eligible. Please note that we are unable to offer funding for private clinic appointments when a public pathway is available in your region. Please visit our financial assistance page to know more.

Private Clinics

Private clinics offer an all-inclusive service, which means that you often do not need pre-procedure tests like the ultrasound scan or blood tests. Private clinics can do all these tests on the day of your appointment. This is reflected in their prices, which can be significantly higher than care received from a GP or at a public hospital. Private clinics have certain limitations on who they can provide services to – for example, if you have a high BMIs, other health complications, or are under 14 years – you will have to access care via a public hospitals.  

Queensland has four private clinics which offer termination of pregnancy services. Please visit their individual websites for information about appointments and costs:  

Marie Stopes International | Brisbane Day Surgery | East Coast Women’s Centre | Cairns Day Surgery 

Some public hospitals and health services have partnerships with private clinics. The public health service pays for the cost of the care at the private clinic.  Click here to know more. 

Step 4: Follow Up and Contraception

Follow-up care is an important part of abortion care. It is a check-up that confirms the termination of pregnancy has been completed; and is an opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns you may have during your recovery. These follow up appointments usually occur about 4 weeks after you receive the abortion care.  

Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is often offered – free of cost or at a reduced rate – immediately after an abortion. You can have a look here to explore options that may be suitable for you.  

You may be able to access bulk-billed services for contraception, or you may need to pay a gap fee. If you need to find a supportive GP, have a look at our map here

Additional Costs to Consider

At Children by Choice we believe abortion care should be locally and freely available. However, that is not currently the case in Queensland. Apart from costs directly related to abortion, pregnant people may also need to take into consideration the following: 

• Travel expenses to and from clinic/public hospital
  (Please note that if you need to travel more than 50kms from your nearest public hospital to access abortion care, you may be eligible for the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme) 
• Childcare arrangements 
• Time off work
• Sanitary hygiene products: these as especially necessary for medication abortions are the experience of bleeding can be prolonged depending on your personal medical history etc.  

Due to the existence of several different pathways to abortion care, some of the steps and costs outlined above may not be applicable to you. For personalized information, please reach out to the counselling team at 1800 177 725 to leave a message or fill in our online contact form.  

Please note that while we usually endeavor to get back in touch on the same day, high call volumes mean we sometimes may take up to 2 working days to get back in touch with you.