The clots can range in size from small to large. Some may be as big as a lemon. If clots are occurring with heavy bleeding and last more than two hours, you should call your healthcare provider to discuss whether you need evaluation.
There may be blood-tinged discharge , too. These are signs of an infection. Because fever can also be a sign of infection, you should call your healthcare provider if you notice a fever, body aches, or increased bleeding or pelvic pain. Many healthcare professionals recommend that you avoid tampons or menstrual cups for at least two weeks after either type of abortion.
An abortion restarts your menstrual cycle. Your periods should return to normal within a month or so after the procedure. Your periods should return within 4 to 6 weeks of your abortion. How much time elapses before you get your first post-abortion period depends, in part, on how pregnant you were.
Pregnancy hormones may remain for a few weeks afterward, causing a delay in menstruation. Your first period may be shorter than it was in the past if you had a surgical abortion, or longer if you had a medical abortion. This irregularity is due to your hormones and menstrual cycle returning to normal. Your first period may be heavier than usual if you had a medical abortion because your body has to remove all of the extra tissue from your uterus.
You might also pass some small blood clots. Periods after a surgical abortion may be lighter at first. They should normalize within a few months.
Foul-smelling discharge could be a sign of infection. Your periods may be shorter or longer than usual for a few months. You may also bleed more than you did in the past, especially if you had a medical abortion. You can use whatever is most comfortable to you. You can resume using most birth control methods — including the pill, patch, condom, implant, and intrauterine device IUD — immediately after, or within a few days of, your abortion.
If you had a second-trimester abortion, you might have to wait about four weeks to start using methods that are inserted, like the diaphragm , cervical cap , or IUD. Hormonal birth control methods like the pill may make your bleeding lighter and reduce the number of days you bleed after an abortion.
You should start ovulating about three weeks after a medical abortion. Some people start as soon as eight days afterward. Talk to your doctor about birth control options. There is concern that repeated surgical abortion may cause scarring in the uterus by the instruments used to remove the pregnancy.
Be sure to use birth control when you start having sex again. And use condoms to prevent infection. For more information, see the topic Birth Control. Do not rinse the vagina with fluids douche. This could increase your risk of infections that can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease. Normal symptoms that most women will experience after a medical abortion include: Bleeding or spotting for up to 14 days.
Bleeding may last longer for pregnancies of more than 7 weeks. Cramping for the first 2 weeks. Some women may have cramping like menstrual cramps for as long as 6 weeks. Call your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms after an abortion: Severe bleeding. Both medical and surgical abortions usually cause bleeding that is different from a normal menstrual period.
Severe bleeding can mean: Passing clots that are bigger than a golf ball, lasting 2 or more hours. Soaking more than 2 large sanitary pads in an hour, for 2 hours in a row. Bleeding heavily for 12 hours in a row. Signs of infection in your whole body, such as headache, muscle aches, dizziness, or a general feeling of illness.
Severe infection is possible without fever. Severe pain in the belly that is not relieved by pain medicine, rest, or heat Hot flushes or a fever of If bleeding does not occur, then the medicines may not be working. A second dose of misoprostol may be needed. Methotrexate and misoprostol may take up to 3 weeks to be effective. Bleeding not spotting for longer than 2 weeks New, unexplained symptoms that may be caused by medicines used in your treatment No menstrual period within 6 weeks after the procedure Signs and symptoms of depression.
Hormonal changes after a pregnancy can cause depression that requires treatment. Complications that can occur include: Tissue remaining in the uterus retained products of conception. Cramping belly pain and bleeding will occur again within a week of the procedure. Symptoms of fever of But you can have a serious infection without fever. Blood clots blocking the cervix hematometra.
If the uterus doesn't contract to pass all of the tissue, the cervical opening can become blocked. This prevents blood from leaving the uterus. The uterus will become enlarged and tender. Belly pain, cramping, and nausea may be present. Moderate to severe bleeding hemorrhage. Bleeding may be more than normal if: Products of conception are retained in the uterus.
A research review found no evidence of a difference between the effectiveness of medical abortions and surgical procedures. And, according to the University of California, San Francisco, only around 3 to 5 percent of people need a surgical abortion after a medical one. Healthcare staff will check all of the above and provide clear instructions before giving you any abortion medication. Many liken the feeling of a medical abortion to an early miscarriage.
Depending how far along the pregnancy is, you may pass larger tissues that are brown or red in color, and may be able to see the white pregnancy sac. Lying down with a hot-water bottle on your abdomen can help relieve any pain.
Some find sitting on the toilet to be a more comfortable position. If you need pain medication, avoid aspirin, as it can worsen bleeding. Instead, take ibuprofen Advil, Motrin.
It may help to take pain medication around 30 minutes before the misoprostol. Bleeding may be lighter, while cramping may not feel so severe. Other side effects like fever or nausea should also disappear. It may take a couple of days for you to get back into your normal routine, as the process can make you tired.
Be sure to tell your healthcare provider any concerns you have. Around 4 to 6 weeks after your abortion, your period should return.
Be aware that your body can start to ovulate around 3 weeks after taking the medication, meaning you can become pregnant once again. Your healthcare provider may also physically check the cervix and uterus, perform lab tests to check for the pregnancy hormone , and perform an ultrasound to determine whether the abortion pill worked. Avoid taking an at-home test too soon after an abortion, as the pregnancy hormone may still linger in your body.
You may be able to take another dose of the abortion pill, or you may need a surgical abortion instead. All-Options and Exhale offer various forms of free support, including over-the-phone counseling and a confidential text line.
Lauren Sharkey is a U. She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters.
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