The SofTouch Advantage

0:00 | The SofTouch Procedure

Doctor Joan Feischman: So, you just finished the SofTouch procedure about 20 minutes ago.

Early Options Patient: Yes.

D: And, how are you feeling?

P: I feel fine. I have little to no cramping. I feel completely normal, like I can go about the rest of my day. 

D: Great, and how was the procedure?

0:16 | Anxiety

P: It was actually a lot faster than I thought it was going to be, which was really nice. I was more worried about everything leading up to it. I think that anxiety… once you’re here I felt like everything went so quickly, which is exactly what I wanted to experience. 

D: Yes, you were actually more nervous as I got ready for the procedure.

P: Yeah, yeah. I think the thought of it is so much worse because you just don’t know. I’ve never been through a pregnancy obviously, I’ve never been pregnant before. It’s always that unknown that kind of nags at you but to have something go so smoothly for something that, in my mind, can be kind of a horror show was really rewarding and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. 

D: Were you very clear on your decision?

1:04 | Clear Decision

P: Yes, absolutely. I started a new job last week. I’m so focused on my career. I do have a steady boyfriend who I’ve been with for 6 years so it was a mutual agreement. He’s also in a career and it was not the right timing. Unfortunately, I had birth control fail which is unfortunate. I think having Early Options for women who have to, unfortunately, go through that is amazing. 

D: Yes, you had been on birth control pills and were taking them reliably and then you took some antibiotics for a sinus infection and I guess your doctor didn’t tell you to use a backup method.

P: Nope.

D: That’s very unfortunate. I hate to hear these stories. 

P: Yeah, yeah. You do everything you can and you do everything in your power to obviously prevent it from happening but I think if it does, having this type of option is the human thing to do. I just didn’t want to go through an invasive procedure. I didn’t want to have a surgery or be put under. That was really scary to me seeing what other options were out there, really freaked me out.

D: Did you research into the abortion pill?

2:19 | The Abortion Pill

P: I did. Yea. My concern there was I didn’t necessarily want to go through a multi-day thing. I think for some people to have the option of doing it at home is nice, but for me, I just wanted to be done with it as quickly as possible and as painlessly as possible. I didn’t want to go through cramping for two days or more and then be really struggling to get back to my normal self.

D: And, you brought a friend to be by your side?

P: I did.

D: Do you want to say anything about this process? 

2:50 | Why Early Options?

FRD: I know she was very nervous going into it and we walked in and it was very serene and very peaceful and it helps with the physiological aspect of it. It really kind of soothes you as you walk in. You’re not as uptight because you know the procedure is a little bit more seamless and not as invasive.

P: Right. I think the fact that you can even have a friend, that was huge for me. You shouldn’t have to be alone, as quick as it is it’s really important to have somebody go through the information and make sure it’s okay. You know, your head’s not totally there so you have somebody to back you up. I think it’s a great thing to offer people.

D: Yeah, I always encourage people to go to any medical visit with a friend.

P: Yeah, seriously 

D: Because you can’t remember anything.

P: Exactly, your mind is not on the details, that’s for sure. 

D: Anything else you want to say to somebody who’s in this position? I think you’re right. I think most women feel alone in this moment, even if you’ve got a partner of 6 years. 

There’s something very lonely about going through this experience, I think, as a woman. I guess what I’m trying to do is break through that taboo because nobody really talks about it and I think that’s part of why it feels so lonely.

P: Yeah and I think it’s a shame too because I like to consider myself a pretty informed person and I had no idea until this happened that this [SofTouch] was even a possibility. I think that’s a real shame because I think people should know that you don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done. 

There are options, especially if you’re still early, that are just so much easier. If you don’t have to experience as much pain, if you don’t have to go through a lot of the side effects like some of the other options out there.

I would say too, I think definitely do your research and for me, I felt very confident in choosing this particular option. The SofTouch option, when you start digging, it makes so much more sense to me even than the abortion pill. I just think it’s such a better option. Do not hesitate to do it, if it’s available to you.

D: You told me you’re in marketing and advertising?

P: Yes.

D: Was it clear to you how different SofTouch was pretty early on and you’re seeing it?

P: Yeah I have to say I think the website was great. I felt like you could read a lot about the procedure itself. I love that little step by step section because I think it’s reassuring to know exactly what you’re going to go through ahead of time. 

I think reading and hearing from other people’s personal experience is great because a lot of it is just the unknown. I really think that was the scary thing for me. I wanted to feel like I knew what I was going into and I felt really confident once I read up about it. How successful it is as a choice. It even said it was more effective than the abortion pill, so that was really interesting. I didn’t know this was even a thing that you could do.

D: Well, thanks for taking the time. I think it makes such a difference to women to hear voices of women who have just been through this.

6:23 The ease of SofTouch

P: Yeah, absolutely. I really do feel like I could just walk out of here and go about my regular day. As much as you can read that and think “Okay, really?” I have very minimal if not any cramping at this point. I feel like almost 98% myself so that was not actually what I was expecting. I feel very comfortable walking out of here and just going about my day.

D: Yes, I try to explain that the procedure isn’t an invasive procedure, I mean  literally we’re just dilating the cervix and then bringing down your period. 

Your period sheds every month so we’re just helping that come down so it’s not like your uterus has to recover. Once it cramps in response to the procedure it contracts, that’s a reflex, we want that to happen. Once it relaxes again you’ve got your period and you’re kind of back to normal. 

P: Yeah, yeah. That’s why I said, it feels just like you would every month, it doesn’t feel any different or any more painful than that. If you’ve had a period, that’s pretty much what it feels like.

D: Alright, thank you again for taking the time.

P: Yeah, thank you.