Both types of abortion—medical and surgical—will cause you to experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping, sometimes incapacitating. However, the other potential effects on your body depend on the type of abortion you receive.
If you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy and considering abortion, it’s essential to understand all you can to make an informed choice and stay safe. Read on to learn more about what might happen to your body after abortion.
Or, if you want to talk to someone in person about your pregnancy options, contact Attleboro Women’s Health to be connected to our care team. All appointments and services are free and confidential.
Possible Physical Effects of Abortion
Abortion comes with potential side effects and risks, depending on the type of abortion you receive.
Medical Abortion
Medical abortion (also known as the “abortion pill”) involves taking two powerful drugs at home. After taking these drugs, you may experience the following physical risks that may be severe and include:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Excessive and prolonged bleeding (possibly up to 8 weeks or more)
- Emotional trauma from disposing of the fetus
- Uterine Infection
- Elevated Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Additional side effects may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Headache
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is performed in a clinic, and it involves dilating the cervix so that medical instruments can enter the uterus to terminate and remove the pregnancy.
After a surgical abortion, you might experience the following risks to your physical health:
- Uterine damage or scarring
- Cervical damage
- Infection
How Can I Protect My Health?
If you’re considering abortion, getting an ultrasound is the most important way to protect your health.
An ultrasound will give you facts that are essential to know before an abortion, including:
- Pregnancy age: This is critical, especially if you’re considering a medical abortion—it’s only FDA-approved if your pregnancy is ten weeks gestation or less, and seeking one when you’re further along puts you at a greater risk for experiencing complications.
- Pregnancy location: Rarely, pregnancies develop outside the uterus. This is a life-threatening complication known as ectopic pregnancy. If you’re experiencing one, you will need emergency medical treatment.
- Pregnancy viability: Roughly 26% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, and sometimes, you won’t experience symptoms of miscarriage right away. If you’ve had a miscarriage, it is imperative that you see your doctor for follow-up medical guidance to ensure you don’t have complications.
At Attleboro Women’s Health, we offer free limited ultrasounds to help protect your health. We also offer free pregnancy consultations to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about how to move forward. You’re not alone in this. We’re here for you. Contact us today to schedule your confidential appointment.
Attleboro Women’s Health Center strongly discourages the purchase of online abortion pills.