A surgical abortion typically costs between $600 and $1,000 in the first trimester, with prices climbing significantly as the pregnancy progresses. By the late second trimester, the same procedure can reach $1,500 to $2,000 or more. What you actually pay depends on how far along you are, where you live, what type of sedation you choose, and whether you have insurance coverage.
First Trimester Costs
Most surgical abortions happen in the first trimester, up to about 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy. At Planned Parenthood affiliate clinics, the base cost for a procedure through 12.6 weeks starts around $650, with a total range of $650 to $979 depending on individual factors. KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) reports that the majority of self-pay first trimester abortions cost close to $600.
The price range within the first trimester reflects differences in sedation options and required add-ons. A procedure with local numbing alone costs less than one with moderate or deeper sedation. Some clinics include an ultrasound, lab work, and follow-up in their quoted price, while others bill these separately. If you’re comparing prices between clinics, ask whether the number you’re given covers everything or just the procedure itself.
Second Trimester and Later
Costs rise substantially once you enter the second trimester (around 14 weeks). At Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, for example, procedures at 14 weeks and beyond start at $720 but can reach $2,723. The average cost early in the second trimester is roughly $715, while later second trimester procedures run between $1,500 and $2,000.
The increase reflects the greater complexity of later procedures. A first trimester surgical abortion uses suction and typically takes 5 to 10 minutes. Later procedures require more preparation, sometimes over two days, and involve additional steps to safely complete. They also require more experienced providers, and fewer clinics offer them, which limits competition and pushes prices higher. Every additional week of gestation adds cost, so scheduling early makes a meaningful financial difference.
Insurance Coverage
Whether insurance helps depends almost entirely on where you live and what kind of plan you carry. Twenty-one states use their own Medicaid funds to cover all or most abortions, going beyond the federal Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal Medicaid dollars to cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. Those states include California, New York, Illinois, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, and others. In some of these states, Medicaid coverage requires a designation of medical necessity.
Private insurance varies widely. In California, a 2023 law requires insurance plans that cover abortion to do so with no cost sharing and no prior authorization, meaning you pay nothing out of pocket. Other states have no such requirements, and some actively restrict private plans from covering the procedure. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, your plan documents or a call to the insurer will clarify whether abortion is a covered benefit and what your share of the cost would be.
Travel and Logistical Costs
For people living in states with abortion bans or heavy restrictions, the procedure cost is only part of the picture. Traveling out of state adds gas or airfare, hotel stays, meals, missed work, and potentially childcare. These expenses can total hundreds to thousands of dollars on top of the procedure fee, and they hit lower-income patients hardest. A two-day later procedure doubles lodging costs and time away from work.
Some larger employers have added travel reimbursement benefits for out-of-state abortion care, typically covering transportation and lodging up to a set dollar amount. But this benefit is far from universal and tends to be concentrated among large companies and those headquartered in states with fewer restrictions.
Financial Assistance Options
If you’re paying out of pocket and the cost is a barrier, abortion funds exist specifically to help. The National Network of Abortion Funds connects nearly 100 grassroots organizations across the country that provide direct financial assistance to people seeking care. Some funds pay a portion of the procedure cost directly to the clinic, while others help cover travel, lodging, or childcare.
Most clinics also offer sliding-scale fees based on income. Planned Parenthood locations, for example, adjust pricing depending on your financial situation. Calling the clinic directly and asking about payment options, payment plans, and local fund referrals is the fastest way to understand your actual out-of-pocket cost. Many abortion funds can be reached through the directory at abortionfunds.org.
Why Timing Matters Financially
The single biggest factor driving cost is gestational age. A procedure at 8 weeks may cost half of what the same clinic charges at 18 weeks. Beyond the procedure fee itself, later abortions are more likely to require overnight stays, multiple clinic visits, and deeper sedation, all of which add to the total. In states with mandatory waiting periods, the built-in delay between a consultation visit and the actual procedure can push patients into a higher cost bracket, sometimes by a week or more. If cost is a concern, confirming your options and scheduling as early as possible is the most effective way to keep the total lower.