Experiencing symptoms after an abortion is common, as your body goes through a recovery process. However, it’s important to distinguish between normal post-abortion symptoms and those that may indicate complications.
Common Symptoms After an Abortion with Pills
After taking the abortion pills, it’s normal to experience symptoms similar to those of a miscarriage or menstrual period. Here are some common symptoms you might experience:
- Cramping: It’s typical to have cramping as the uterus contracts to expel the pregnancy. The intensity of the cramps can vary, and this discomfort usually lasts for a few days.
- Bleeding: Bleeding may be heavier than a regular period, especially in the first few days, with clots and tissue passing. The bleeding will generally decrease over time, but it can last from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how your body responds to the medication.
- Nausea: Some individuals may feel nauseous, often due to hormonal changes triggered by the abortion process. This is usually short-lived and should subside within a day or two.
- Mild Fever or Chills: It’s common to experience a slight fever or chills while using Misoprostol, which typically resolve within 24 hours.
- Other Temporary Side Effects: Some individuals may also experience temporary side effects such as dizziness, diarrhea, stomachaches, or headaches. These should go away within a short period (24 hours or less).
If you do not experience any of these symptoms, that’s perfectly normal—every experience with the abortion process is unique.
When to Seek Medical Attention
It’s essential to monitor your health during the process. Seek medical help if you experience any of the following:
- Heavy Bleeding: If you soak through two regular pads per hour for two consecutive hours (meaning four soaked pads in two hours) after you think you’ve passed the pregnancy, this is considered very heavy bleeding, and you should seek medical help immediately.
- Severe Abdominal Pain: Intense abdominal pain that isn’t relieved by over-the-counter painkillers may indicate a complication.
- High Fever: A temperature above 38°C (100.4°F) that lasts more than 24 hours is a sign that you may have an infection and need medical attention.
- Unusual Vaginal Discharge: Blood can sometimes smell unpleasant and appear brown, dark, almost black, or bright red—this is usually normal. However, if you notice discharge of another color with a rotten odor, it may be a sign of infection and should be checked by a medical professional.
- Allergic Reaction: Redness, itchiness, or swelling of your hands, face, or neck may indicate an allergic reaction. If this happens, it’s okay to take antihistamine, but seek medical advice if the reaction persists or worsens.
- Difficulty Breathing: Trouble breathing requires immediate medical attention, as it may be a sign of a severe reaction or infection.
Is it Necessary to Disclose How the Abortion Was Done?
It is entirely up to you whether you want to mention how the abortion was performed. If you do not mention that you used abortion pills and did not insert Misoprostol vaginally, there is no way for healthcare providers to know or prove that you induced an abortion with pills. Mifepristone and Misoprostol cannot be detected in your blood or urine, so even if tests are done, they cannot confirm that you used these medications.
