Abortion—both medical and surgical procedures—will cause you to experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping, and some women have reported that the pain is unexpectedly severe. However, the other potential effects on your body depend on the type of abortion you get.
If you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy and thinking about abortion, it’s critical to understand all you can to make an educated decision 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, contact First Choice Women’s Center to schedule a free, confidential appointment.
Potential Effects of Abortion
Both types of abortion come with potential side effects and risks; side effects are common physical symptoms you may experience, while risks are rare but potentially severe complications.
Medical Abortion
Medical abortion (also known as the “abortion pill”) involves taking two powerful drugs at home. These drugs work together to terminate and expel the pregnancy from your uterus.
After taking these drugs, you may experience the following risks:
- Incomplete abortion, which is when parts of the terminated pregnancy remain in your uterus
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
- Digestive system discomfort
Side effects may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Headache
Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is done 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?
Getting an ultrasound is the number one way to protect your health before seeking an abortion or making any pregnancy decision.
An ultrasound will tell you the following key details about your pregnancy:
- Gestational Age: This is critical, especially if you’re considering a medical abortion, as 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’s vital that you see your doctor for follow-up medical guidance to ensure you don’t have complications.
At First Choice Women’s Center, we offer free, limited ultrasounds and medically accurate information about abortion and your other pregnancy options, because we believe you deserve to have what you need to stay safe and informed.
Contact us today to schedule your free, confidential appointment.