What to Expect After an Abortion

If you are planning on ending an unplanned pregnancy, you may wonder what to expect after an abortion. The recovery depends how far along you are and what type of abortion you have. The two types include:

Medical Abortion – This is also known as the abortion pill and is a non-surgical way to have an abortion. It is done up to 9 or 10 weeks of pregnancy, but most often up to 9 weeks.
Surgical Abortion – This procedure surgically removes the pregnancy from the uterus. It is done up to the 14^th week of pregnancy, but optimal time for this type is between the 8^th and 12^th week of pregnancy. In certain cases, late term abortions can be performed any time between the 12^th and 18^th week of pregnancy.

Early surgical abortions are done with a vacuum where the contents of the uterus are drawn out with a vacuum. In later term abortions, labor may be induced and the fetus delivered.

What to Expect After an Abortion with Pills

In this procedure, your doctor will have you take a Mifeprex tablet in the office. At home you will be taking Misoprostol within the first 24 to 48 hours after the Mifeprex. Within 20 minutes to 4 hours after taking Mifeprex, you will begin to feel the medication begin to work. Here is a description of what you may feel:

Pelvic Cramps and Pain – When you begin to feel cramps in your pelvic area, the procedure is beginning to work. This is normal and can be very painful. They feel worse than your period. You can take painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen if needed.
Bleeding – Bleeding can be severe with this type of abortion and you may even notice clots. The clots can be very large, but shouldn’t worry you. You may bleed heavy the first few days and then it will taper to a lighter flow more like a period for up to a few weeks. You will then notice light spotting for another few weeks. After the pregnancy is passed from the body the bleeding should slow down a bit.

Note: Use only pads or sanitary towels for post abortion bleeding and only use tampons after you have had your first period after the procedure.

Mild Fever – Misoprostol can make you run a slight fever around 101°F. This usually lasts for about an hour and then go back to normal after you begin to bleed. Take your temperature for three hours and increase your fluid intake.
Other Symptoms – You may feel weak or have vomiting and diarrhea with the procedure. These are very common side-effects of the medications you were given. These should last for the first 24 hours and then subside.

Doctor Re-Check: You will need to see your doctor 10 days to 2 weeks after the procedure is completed to have an ultrasound. This will help your doctor make sure all the contents of your uterus were delivered. Around 1% of medical abortions can have tissue remain in the uterus and this can cause infection and complications. The doctor will make arrangements to surgically clear out the uterus if needed and talk to you about birth control for the future.

What to Expect After Surgical Abortion

A surgical abortion is done in a clinic or hospital.Depending on whether you are in your 1^st or 2^nd trimester, the doctor will surgically empty the contents of your uterus.The procedure will take a few minutes to a half-hour. After the procedure you will be taken to a recovery room to rest. They will check your blood pressure and give you pain medications for cramping. They will check your bleeding and possibly offer you a snack and drink.

You will be given a “care sheet” for what to do when you go home. Make sure you have a number to the clinic that you can call if you experience complications. Also, make sure you have someone to drive you home.

Doctor Re-Check: You will need to go back to the clinic around 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure for a re-check. The doctor will make sure that the abortion was complete with an ultrasound and pregnancy test. You can ask the doctor any questions and discuss birth control at this time.