It depends which state of pregnancy the woman is at. Most abortions (90% in the UK) take place before 13 weeks.

Some people would class the "morning after pill", which can be taken within the first 3 days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy, as an abortion. The morning after pill and the IUD contraception both work similarly in that they prevent implantation of the embryo at all.

Before 9 weeks the woman can take an oral drug (prostaglandin) and use a vaginal pessary (pill that dilutes inside the vagina). This will nearly always cause a termination which feels very much like a natural early miscarraige (including cramping and heavy bleeding).

Up to about 13 weeks a suction method is possible, the cervix is dilated and the contents of the womb are vacuumed out in about a minute. The woman can go home after about an hour.

Later terminations can sometimes be done using only pills and pessaries. However, more often they require more invasive techniques, involving suction, probably forceps and heavy bleeding. All abortions involve some amount of physical pain for the mother.

There are very small risks of permanent physical damage to the mother from having an abortion, particularly from the invasive methods.

 Having an abortion is extremely painful. Imagine the worst menstral cramps you've ever had and multiply them 100 times. This is just the physical effects. The mental effects far exceed this.

 I beg you not to have an abortion.your child has the right to live.It is a unique and special person.It has been knitted together in your womb and is a truely wonderful creature.If you abort it, you will be destroying another human being.You will be a murderer.You will be the murderer of your own baby.It is innocent.It has never done anything wrong.It is not the childs fault it was conceived.If you dont abort your baby, it could grow up to be someone very special.It already is someone very special.It is a human being.Please do not destroy its life.Life is a right, not a privilage.Please do not murder your baby.