How Much Does an Abortion Cost

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.

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

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. 

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

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.