A medication abortion involves the use of methotrexate and/or misoprostol, to cause the emptying of a fertilized egg from the uterus. During the surgical abortion procedure, a doctor gently dilates the cervix by inserting and removing a series of narrow, tapered rods. A small, hollow tube, which is attached to an aspirator machine, is then inserted into the uterus, and the contents of the uterus are suctioned out. The walls of the uterus are gently scraped with a loop-shaped instrument (curette) to ensure that no tissue from the embryo or placenta remains.